Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet pushed through a heavy agenda on Tuesday, August 18. Officials approved a 2026 hydrocarbon policy, land for two major universities, and a plan for eight new co-districts. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the meeting, aiming to spark energy exploration and sharpen administrative reach.
Assam produces 4 million metric tonnes of oil each year. Output could drop soon. The new Hydrocarbon Exploration, Production and Upstream Ecosystem Development Policy aims to keep the oil flowing by de-risking new drilling sites. Firms often avoid untapped ground due to potential financial losses. Sarma explained the logic: "The primary reason is the high degree of uncertainty involved in exploration. If a company drills in a new area and does not discover oil or gas, it can suffer substantial financial losses."
The state plans to dangle incentives to lure private and public players like ONGC and Oil India. Benefits include GST breaks and land concessions. If crews come up empty-handed, the government drops the land premium. Target regions include Biswanath Chariali and Dhemaji. Modern rigs are a priority.
Higher education expansion also moved forward. The Cabinet handed over 576 bighas of land at Palashbari-Borduar for IIM Guwahati. Azim Premji University secured 200 bighas in the same area. Sarma claims these moves solidify Assam as an education hub.
Bureaucracy faces a shakeup. The government is moving to an online, paperless registration system for cooperative societies. Dairy co-ops get a 24-hour turnaround. Other groups will see automatic registration within 30 days. Law amendments back this shift to increase transparency.
Administrative power is decentralizing. The Cabinet greenlit eight new co-districts. District Commissioners and Guardian Ministers will pick the central headquarters. Meanwhile, the Mini Secretariat in Barak Valley is now the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar. It will house 32 of 59 state departments to speed up service delivery.
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