Assam Govt Employees to Get Option of Advance Salary

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on February 2 announced a major relief measure for state government employees, saying they will now be able to draw their salary in advance whenever the need arises.

The announcement was made at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur during the launch of the Swagat Satirtha Portal 2.0, a platform aimed at simplifying employee transfers within the state government.

Under the new system, government employees will be allowed to take advance salary, which can be repaid either in one go or in easy instalments within a year. The Chief Minister said only minimal interest would be charged by banks for this facility.

Explaining how it would work, Sarma said employees who repay the advance immediately after receiving their regular salary would pay less interest, while those opting for instalment-based repayment would have to bear a slightly higher interest. The move, he said, is meant to help employees deal with emergencies without having to depend on private lenders or informal loans.

“This decision is about providing timely support when our employees need it the most,” the Chief Minister said.

During the event, Sarma also spoke about the Swagat Satirtha transfer portal, reminding that the government had earlier promised to open the portal twice in a financial year. He said another round of transfers would be completed before March 31.

However, the Chief Minister clarified that around 9,000 employees who had already benefited from earlier transfer rounds through the portal would not be eligible this time. Employees who missed the previous opportunity, he said, would now be able to apply for transfers to their preferred locations.

Referring to the timeline, Sarma said the earlier version of the portal was opened on January 1, 2025, and closed on June 7, 2025. This time, the government plans to complete the entire transfer exercise by March 7.

He added that the Election Commission would be informed about the process, stressing that the transfers are purely administrative and have no political intent. Government employees have been asked to submit their applications within 15 days to ensure the process is completed smoothly.

Also Read: Swagat Satirtha Portal Launched; Assam CM Says Mutual Transfers to be Completed by March 31