From MRO Hub to Moh-Juj: Assam Cabinet Rolls Out Landmark Decisions

The Assam Cabinet on Sunday approved a series of landmark decisions across education, land management, aviation infrastructure, tribal welfare and long-pending judicial reports, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma briefing the media after the meeting.

The CM reiterated that the weekly Cabinet has become a mechanism to ensure complete transparency—something he said had “no precedent in earlier governments.”

Assam to Become Northeast’s Aviation MRO Hub

A major highlight of the meeting was the approval of the Assam Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Policy 2025, aimed at transforming the state into the Northeast’s leading aircraft maintenance hub by 2030.

The government plans to establish MRO facilities across seven airports in the state, enabling Assam to handle large-scale aircraft repairs and servicing, a first for the region.

Sweeping Reforms in Education Sector

The Cabinet cleared multiple proposals that reshape the education landscape:

Fee Regulation in Private Schools

Assam will now regulate fees in minority and missionary educational institutions, bringing them under the same fee-monitoring framework as other private schools.
The CM said this will ensure accountability and prevent arbitrary fee escalations.

Provincialisation of Institutions

• Thousands of schools across Assam will be provincialised.

• 15 new colleges will come under provincialisation.

• Non-teaching staff of provincialised institutions will get a 6% annual increment from their fifth year.

Relaxed Transfer Rules for Teachers

• Female teachers will be eligible for transfer after five years of service in a school.

• Male teachers will become eligible after seven years.

New Universities Approved

• NERIM upgraded to a full-fledged university under the Assam Private University Act.

• Approval granted for establishing Azim Premji University at Palashbari, designed to accommodate 10,000 students.
  The university will also provide mid-day meals and will function alongside an IMRR-linked education ecosystem.

Karbi Welfare Autonomous Council Gets Green Signal

In a step fulfilling the 2021 MoS, the Cabinet approved the Karbi Welfare Autonomous Council Bill, 2025, aimed at supporting Karbi populations living outside the KAAC region.

Major Land Reforms and Protection Measures

District Land Tribunals

The Cabinet approved the Assam District Land Tribunal Bill, 2025 to set up independent tribunals aimed at speedy adjudication of protected class land disputes.
Each tribunal will work with 90-day disposal targets, with provision for appeals at the Gauhati High Court.

Relief for Tea Garden Workers

The government approved amendments to the Assam Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, excluding labour lines from the definition of ancillary land in tea estates.

The decision will:

• Transfer land rights to tea garden workers.

• Restrict sale for 20 years, after which land may only be sold to another tea garden worker.

The move is expected to benefit 3.33 lakh families across 825 estates.

The CM also confirmed that encroachment in tribal belts will be addressed through recommendations of the Biplab Sharma Committee, including the creation of district-level tribunals.

Legalisation of Buffalo Fight (Moh-Juj) Under Safeguards

The Cabinet approved amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2025, allowing the traditional Moh-Juj (buffalo fight) during Magh Bihu under regulated conditions, ensuring both cultural preservation and compliance with safety norms.

Assam Fire & Emergency Services Bill Approved

A new Bill to modernise fire safety standards, improve fire-fighting infrastructure and ensure building compliance across the state was cleared.

Historic Transparency: 1983 Commission Reports to Be Tabled

In a significant decision, the Cabinet approved placing two long-pending reports in the Assembly on November 25:

• Tiwari Commission Report on the 1983 election violence

• Mehta (Unofficial) Judicial Commission Report, earlier sought by AASU

Sarma said both reports will be made public for the first time, enabling the new generation to “understand Assam’s political history.”
He criticised the previous Congress government for keeping them confidential despite commissioning the reports.

Copies of both reports will also be provided to the media.

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