Mini Secretariat Officially Renamed Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar; 32 Departments to Function from Office

The Assam Government has officially renamed the Mini Secretariat, Barak Valley, as the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar, with immediate effect.

An order issued by the Governor of Assam on August 21 stated that the decision was taken following the Assam Cabinet meeting held on August 18. The notification also supersedes an earlier order issued by the department on February 19, 2021.

According to Annexure-A of the official notification, the following 32 departments are proposed to function from the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar:

1. Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension & Public Grievances Department
2. Agriculture Department
3. Border Protection and Development Department
4. Barak Valley Development Department
5. Chief Minister’s Secretariat Department
6. Co-operation Department
7. Environment & Forest Department
8. Excise Department
9. Fishery Department
10. Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department
11. General Administration Department
12. Health & Family Welfare Department
13. Higher Education Department
14. Housing and Urban Affairs Department
15. Information, Public Relations, Printing & Stationery Department
16. Irrigation Department
17. Labour Welfare Department
18. Panchayat & Rural Development Department
19. Personnel Department
20. Power Department
21. Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department
22. Public Works Buildings and National Highways Department
23. Public Works Roads Department
24. Revenue & Disaster Management Department
25. School Education Department
26. Social Justice and Empowerment Department
27. Sports & Youth Welfare Department
28. Transport Department
29. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department
30. Water Resources Department
31. Welfare of Minorities & Development Department
32. Women and Child Development Department

The move follows the Cabinet’s announcement last week that the Mini Secretariat would no longer retain its earlier designation and would be renamed the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said after the August 18 Cabinet meeting that the change was aimed at ensuring that the institution does not continue with the character of a “Mini Secretariat”. He had also announced that 32 major and important departments would be accommodated there.

The official notification now gives formal effect to that Cabinet decision and specifies the departments that are proposed to function from the Secretariat.

The change is being seen as a significant administrative development for Barak Valley, which comprises the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi. The expansion of departmental presence in Silchar is expected to bring more administrative functions closer to people in the region.