Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam's debt is mounting fast. Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah confirmed to the State Assembly on Tuesday that the state's total outstanding liabilities surged to Rs 1,61,761 crore by March 31, 2025. This figure marks a massive increase from the Rs 35,690 crore recorded on March 31, 2016.
The state's burden grew 4.5 times in ten years. Baruah provided these numbers during the July 14 session following direct inquiries from Opposition MLAs regarding the state's financial health. The data comes straight from the Accountant General.
Not all debt carries the same weight. Baruah noted that Rs 18,582 crore of the total consists of interest-free loans that stretch over a 50-year repayment window. "Therefore, Assam's total interest-bearing debt is Rs 1,43,179 crore," Baruah informed the House. Interest payments are a heavy hit. During the 2024-25 financial year, the state handed over Rs 9,467.75 crore to various lenders to cover interest costs alone.
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