Assam Cabinet approves Rs 478 crore judicial township in Guwahati

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a crucial Cabinet meeting at Lok Sewa Bhawan on Sunday, November 9 where the Council of Ministers approved a series of landmark decisions spanning the judicial, educational, and social welfare sectors.

One of the major highlights of the meeting was the green signal for the construction of a State-of-the-Art Judicial Township at Rangmahal, North Guwahati, as part of Phase I of the High Court Complex Development Project.

The project, valued at Rs 478.78 crore, aims to build a comprehensive judicial hub featuring a High Court Building (G+4), Bar Building (G+6), and Office Building (G+6) — all interconnected by bridges to ensure functional integration and accessibility.

In a major push to promote entrepreneurship, the Cabinet approved the “Assam Startup and Innovation Policy 2025–30”, envisioning Assam as one of India’s leading innovation-driven states over the next five years.

The policy, with a financial outlay of Rs 397 crore, introduces multi-stage funding mechanisms for startups, including:

Ideation Grant: Up to Rs 10 lakh for concept validation and prototype development.

Prototype Development Grant: Up to Rs 20 lakh for general/tech startups and Rs 40 lakh for deep-tech ventures.

Seed Fund: Equity-based funding up to Rs 50 lakh per startup through the Assam Startup Seed Fund, with a 4% state equity cap.

Venture Capital Fund: Growth capital up to Rs 10 crore per enterprise.

The Cabinet also approved the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, banning polygamous marriages in the state, except in Sixth Schedule areas.

The bill seeks to protect women from emotional and financial distress caused by polygamous practices and proposes compensation and legal protection for victims. Officials described the move as a step toward “streamlining society” and eliminating socially regressive customs.

Furthering its education agenda, the Cabinet approved the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for Assistant Professors and Librarians across Government, Provincialised, Model, PDUAM, and Autonomous Colleges, standardizing the date of effect for promotions to ensure timely career progression.

In a major announcement for Upper Assam, the government also approved the establishment of “Su-Ka-Pha University, Assam”, a teaching, residential, and affiliating university to be set up in the undivided Sivasagar district, preferably in Charaideo.
The university will serve as a key institution for expanding higher education and research opportunities in the region.