Assam to clear 5 lakh bighas from encroachment; mulls 2 lakh jobs in new term: Himanta

Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam on February 14, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that in the new term of the state government, nearly five lakh bighas of land encroachments will be cleared and two lakh government jobs will be provided to eligible candidates.

The Chief Minister made the announcement during a public programme attended by the Prime Minister in Dibrugarh. He stated that the government remains committed to reclaiming encroached land and generating large-scale employment opportunities for the youth in the coming term.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed on stage by Chief Minister Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

During the visit, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Assam, the first of its kind in Northeast India. Designed and constructed in coordination with the Indian Air Force, the ELF will support the landing and takeoff of both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies. Officials said it will serve as a strategic asset for disaster response and emergency operations in the region.

The dual-use infrastructure is capable of handling fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 74 tonnes.

Later, the Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate and flag off development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore, aimed at strengthening connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education, and urban mobility across the Northeast.

The Chief Minister’s announcement on land clearance and employment generation, however, remained the central highlight of the programme, signalling the state government’s focus on land reforms and job creation in its upcoming term.