Assam Cabinet clears Rs 200 crore for Ayushman Asom scheme, raises Samagra Shiksha death benefit to Rs 7.5 lakh

The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday, November 10 approved a series of welfare-related decisions, including an allocation of Rs 200 crore to continue the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Asom Yojana, an increase in the one-time ex-gratia payment for Samagra Shiksha employees who die in service from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh, and Rs 108.81 crore to reimburse colleges for admission fee waivers.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decisions after the Cabinet meeting, stating that the Rs 200-crore allocation would help sustain healthcare coverage for beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Asom Yojana, which covers more than 40 lakh families in the state.

Explaining the funding arrangement, Sarma said the Centre provides financial assistance under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana for around 30 lakh families, while the state government bears the expenditure for the remaining beneficiaries.

"Under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, we get funds for 30 lakh families, while for the remaining 40 lakh or so families, the state government bears the cost. The Assam Cabinet today, thus, allocated its share of Rs 200 crore," the Chief Minister said.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved an increase in the one-time ex-gratia assistance provided to officials, employees and teachers associated with Samagra Shiksha who die in service. The amount has been enhanced from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh.

Sarma said the increase had been announced in the state budget and received formal Cabinet approval on Tuesday. The assistance is provided in cases of death due to various causes, including illness.

The third decision involves the reimbursement of admission fees waived under the state government's Pragyan Bharati Scheme. The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 108.81 crore for the 2026-27 academic year to compensate colleges for the fee waivers extended to eligible students.

According to the Chief Minister, the allocation will benefit more than 1.5 lakh first-year undergraduate students from eligible income groups.

He said the state government provides funds to colleges to compensate them for the admission fees waived under the scheme.

The three decisions are aimed at sustaining healthcare coverage, extending financial assistance to education-sector employees' families and ensuring the continuation of admission fee waivers for eligible students in Assam.