Guwahati, Aug 11 (PTI) The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday sanctioned funds for the first phase of land acquisition for developing a satellite city near Guwahati airport, besides also approving a proposal for a new hotel by the Taj group near the upcoming semiconductor unit in Jagiroad.

It also granted relaxation for people of Moran and Matak communities for applying for new Aadhaar enrolment till March 31 next year.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing a press conference after chairing the meeting, said the Cabinet has granted administrative approval for utilisation of Rs 2,100 crore towards land acquisition and development of the Aerotropolis Satellite City Project, coming up near the Guwahati airport.

“An amount of around Rs 4,000 crore will be required for the total land acquisition. The amount for the first phase was approved today. We are already in talks with the public for the acquisition, and the process is going on,” he said.

Sarma said the Taj group will be developing a hotel at Jagiroad, which will serve the ecosystem coming up around the Tatas’ semiconductor facility there.

“The Cabinet has approved the draft lease deed proposed to be executed between Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd and Indian Hotels Company Ltd for a Taj Gateway Hotel,” he said.

The council of ministers has granted relaxation to Moran and Matak communities from the ban on fresh Aadhaar enrolment for applicants aged 18 years and above in the state up to March 31, 2027, Sarma said.

Initially, the relaxation was given only to Tea Tribes and Adivasis, but with a sizeable chunk of these two indigenous communities also yet to apply for Aadhaar and there being no scope of any illegal migrants among them, the decision was taken, he added.

In a step to benefit small tea growers, the Cabinet has approved Zero Agriculture Tax till Rs 10 lakh net income, keeping most of them outside the ambit of agriculture tax, the CM said.

For promoting foreign language training, the Cabinet okayed a revised payment structure to the Foreign Language Training cum Implementation Partner (FLTIP) under the CM-FLIGHT programme.

Each candidate will receive a total amount of Rs 1.50 lakh in four varying instalments under the new structure, Sarma said.

A budget provision of Rs 118.58 crore for 2026-27 for implementation of the Chief Minister's Jibon Prerana Scheme, under which graduates receive Rs 2,500 per month for a year, was approved by the Cabinet.

It also gave its nod for issuance of OBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificates in a prescribed state format to eligible persons belonging to six communities, which are included in the state list of OBCs for Assam but not in the central list of OBCs for the state.

Sarma further said that in line with a Supreme Court order, the Cabinet approved the requirement of a police verification report for government jobs.

The verification has to be completed by the police within six months of a candidate joining the job, with the provision that non-submission by the police will lead to automatic confirmation of the position for the candidate.

“The candidate does not have to run after the police for the report. The job will be provisional for the first six months to enable the police verification report. If there is no report within the report, it will be assumed that there is nothing objectionable against the candidate, and their job will become permanent,” Sarma said.

For streamlining jail management, the Cabinet approved the amendment of the Rules for Superintendence and Management of Jails in Assam under Assam Jail Manual and the Assam Superintendence and Management of Jails (Supplementary Provisions) Rules of 2022.

It has been done to end caste discrimination and marginalisation, modernise sanitation and security, and ensure fair work allocation.

The chief minister further said that the Cabinet okayed execution of the Power Purchase Agreement between Assam Power Distribution Company Limited and APGCL OIL Green Power Limited for procurement of power at Rs 3.45/unit from 25 MW Namrup Solar PV Project for a period of 25 years.

The release of the SOPD-G fund of Rs 450 crore to the Bodoland Territorial Council as first instalment for the financial year 2026-27 was also given the nod by the Cabinet, Sarma added. PTI SSG NN