Assam Cabinet: CM Himanta Shares Sharodiya Durga Puja Cheers With Extra Orunodoi, 20% ATCL Bonus And Extra Holiday

The Assam Cabinet on Thursday (September 24) announced special benefits for the upcoming Sharodiya Durga Utsav, including an increased Orunodoi payment for October, a 20 per cent bonus for Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) employees and tea garden workers, and an additional holiday for state government employees.

The Cabinet also approved the allotment of 256 bighas of land at Pratapgarh for the establishment of a College of Agriculture in Patharkandi.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared the Sharodiya Durga Utsav decisions in a social media post. He wrote, “Autumn Durga Puja gift from the Assam Cabinet. This Puja, bonuses and festive benefits have been extended starting from the mothers and sisters under Orunodoi to the employees and tea garden workers of Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL). Joyfully, October 17 has also been declared an additional holiday for state government employees on account of Durga Puja.”

As part of the Puja special measures, all Orunodoi beneficiaries will receive Rs 1,500 for October instead of the regular Rs 1,250 assistance. The additional amount has been announced as a special festive benefit for the month.

The Cabinet has also approved a 20 per cent bonus for all employees and tea garden workers of Assam Tea Corporation Limited.

State government employees will get an additional holiday on October 17 on the occasion of Durga Puja. The decision comes as October 18, which falls on a Sunday, is among the scheduled Durga Puja holidays.

The Cabinet has approved the allotment of 256 bighas of land in Pratapgarh for establishing a College of Agriculture in Patharkandi.

The decision is aimed at providing land for the proposed agricultural education institution in the Patharkandi area. The Cabinet’s approval marks a key step towards the establishment of the college.

Other key Cabinet decisions

Apart from the Sharodiya Durga Utsav measures and the Patharkandi agriculture college, the Assam Cabinet took several other decisions on Thursday.

– Fair Price Shops: Subsidised sugar and masur dal will be distributed through Fair Price Shops at Rs 100 for the month of October.
– Muslim Marriage Registration: The Cabinet approved the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026, to establish a uniform procedural framework for compulsory registration across Assam.
– Aadhaar enrolment for SHG members: Women Self Help Group members have been given a one-time exemption to complete their Aadhaar enrolment until March 31, 2027.
– Industrial Estate in Hajo: The Cabinet approved the allotment of 504 bighas of land in Hajo Revenue Circle for setting up an Industrial Estate in Kamrup.
– Minimum pay scale: A minimum pay scale was approved for 166 muster-roll, casual and fixed-pay workers with effect from September 1, 2026.
– SWIFT Project: The Cabinet approved the Assam Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) Project at a cost of Rs 796.88 crore. The project will cover wetland restoration, input and stocking support, infrastructure and equipment, livelihood and entrepreneurship.
– Spice Laboratory: A state-of-the-art Spice Laboratory of the Spices Board has been approved for Guwahati to facilitate spice testing and certification, as well as marketing and exports.
– Agriculture Infrastructure Fund: The Cabinet approved State Guidelines for financial assistance towards the promoter’s contribution under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. The Assam Government will bear the entire 10 per cent mandatory promoter’s contribution for FPOs, FPCs, PACS and cooperatives. For individual beneficiaries, the government will bear 5 per cent while the beneficiary will contribute the remaining 5 per cent.
– Support for manufacturing units: The Cabinet approved a State Capital Investment Subsidy for eligible manufacturing units in Assam that qualify under the substantive provisions of the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI), 2024, but could not obtain registration under the scheme.
– JK Lakshmi Cement investment: The Cabinet approved customised incentives under IIPA 2019 for JK Lakshmi Cement Limited for its proposed Rs 11,000 crore investment in establishing a clinker manufacturing unit and associated units.

Taken together, the decisions reflect the state government’s focus on welfare, employment, agriculture, infrastructure and economic activity ahead of the festive season. The approvals also span different sections of society and administrative priorities, from households and workers to farmers, entrepreneurs and educational institutions, signalling a broad policy agenda as Assam prepares for Durga Puja.