Guwahati, Dec 11: Assam Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has approved stricter guidelines for Aadhaar enrolment and announced multiple decisions aimed at benefiting marginal farmers, societies, and disaster-affected families.
The Cabinet approved a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to make Aadhaar enrolment stricter in the state. “All new applicants must submit their National Register of Citizens (NRC) ARN to apply for Aadhaar. The General Administration Department (GAD) will act as the nodal agency for state-level Aadhaar verification.
Circle officers will verify if applicants have submitted an NRC application. If no NRC application is found, the Aadhaar application will be rejected, with reports submitted to the central government,” Chief Minister Sarma told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
Sarma said applicants with NRC submissions will undergo spot verifications by circle officers before their Aadhaar applications are approved.
However, the Central government employees from other states working in Assam are exempted from this SOP.
Sarma emphasized that these measures aim to prevent illegal immigration from Bangladesh, with support from Assam Police and the Border Security Force (BSF).
In a significant relief for farmers, the Cabinet reinstated the Mauzadari system for land revenue payment. From now marginal farmers can pay land revenue through local Mauzadars, as they faced challenges with the online payment system.
“The online system will remain available for those who prefer it, particularly non-resident Assamese, Sarma said. To ease operations for societies under Mission Basundhara 3.0, the cabinet abolished the mandatory three-year CA audit certificate for society registration has been abolished.
“Renewal fees for organizations like Namghars, Mandirs, Mahila Sanghas, and Yuva Sanghas have been scrapped, simplifying the renewal process. These organizations can now apply for land documents without the three-year audit requirement,” the Chief Minister said.
The chief Minister also announced a 12-day outreach program by “Team Assam” to deliver grants and welfare support to 12 lakh families. Key measures include:
₹223.30 crore relief for over 78,000 borrowers under the Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme to restore creditworthiness.
₹353.37 crore for 6.86 lakh disaster-affected families for home reconstruction, livelihood assistance, and essential supplies. 18 lakh new ration cards will be issued and 37,000 new beneficiaries will be added into Orunudoi scheme.
Sarma stated that these initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to ensuring economic and social support for Assam’s most vulnerable populations. The Aadhaar SOP, in particular, aims to address security concerns while facilitating transparent governance.
