Guwahati, Feb 17 (IANS) The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday approved three per cent reservation for Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities in Class I and Class II state government jobs, marking a significant expansion of affirmative action for one of the state’s most marginalised sections, Chief Ministar Hiamanta Biswa Sarma said.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held at the Assam Legislative Assembly complex in Dispur under the chairmanship of CM Sarma.

With this move, the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities will now get reservation benefits in higher-level government services, in addition to the existing quota in Class III and Class IV posts.

Sarma told reporters here that the decision reflects the government’s intent to ensure greater representation of Tea Tribes and Adivasi youth in policy-making and administrative roles.

The community has historically remained underrepresented in senior government positions despite its substantial contribution to Assam’s economy, particularly through the tea industry.

The Cabinet noted that extending reservation to Class I and II posts would open new avenues for educated youth from Tea Tribes and Adivasi backgrounds, encourage higher education, and help address long-standing social and economic disparities.

Apart from the reservation decision, the Cabinet also approved the Vote-on-Account Budget statement to be placed before the Assam Legislative Assembly for the initial months of the 2026–27 financial year.

In another major welfare push, the Cabinet cleared the release of entrepreneurship seed capital to an additional 1,07,532 eligible women SHG members under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA) scheme.

Infrastructure and development decisions included approval for the construction of a second Sainik School at Langvoku in Karbi Anglong, following the Ministry of Defence’s clearance of the project’s DPR, and settlement of over 31 bighas of land in Dhemaji district in favour of the Assam Cricket Association for sports infrastructure development.

The Cabinet also sanctioned Rs 20 crore for integrated development of the Borbheti Campus in Jorhat to promote heritage-based tourism, enhanced earned leave for school teachers to 15 days, and amendments to the Assam Agricultural Service Rules to ease promotion norms.

The Chief Minister argued that the Cabinet decisions underscore the government’s parallel focus on social justice, employment, infrastructure and inclusive growth across Assam.

–IANS

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