Guwahati, June 11 (IANS) In a significant move aimed at strengthening the grassroots healthcare delivery system, the Assam Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved a hike in monthly incentives for ASHA workers and supervisors.

The decision was announced by State Health Minister Ashok Singhal and the State Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah during a press briefing following the Cabinet meeting held in Dispur on Tuesday.

As per the new revision, effective from October 1, 2025, the monthly honorarium for more than 33,600 ASHA workers across the state will increase from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000.

Similarly, ASHA supervisors will see their honorarium raised from Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,200, benefitting a total of 2,675 supervisors.

The move is expected to provide a morale boost and financial support to the community health workforce that plays a pivotal role in rural healthcare outreach.

In another major development, the state Cabinet approved land allotments under Mission Basundhara 3.0 for non-individual juridical entities across four districts — Sonitpur, Golaghat, Majuli and Kamrup.

A total of 1,011 proposals were cleared for educational, religious and socio-cultural institutions.

Of these, Sonitpur accounted for the highest number of approvals with 464 entities, followed by Golaghat (306), Majuli (205), and Kamrup (36).

Additionally, 146 government institutions, including schools, health centres, Anganwadi centres, and government offices in Sonitpur and Golaghat districts, were granted land allotments in urban areas.

The state Cabinet also approved a nomenclature change for the state’s key environmental body, renaming the ‘Pollution Control Board, Assam’ to ‘Assam Pollution Control Board’ as part of a broader effort to streamline institutional identity and function.

Highlighting the government’s commitment to cultural recognition, Minister Bimal Borah announced that the Srimanta Sankardeva Award for 2023 will be presented to eminent classical dancer Sonal Mansingh.

The award ceremony is scheduled for June 12 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, with Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya conferring the honour on behalf of the President Droupadi Murmu.

Instituted in 1986, the award carries a Rs 5 lakh cash prize and a citation, recognising exceptional contributions to India’s art, culture and literature.

–IANS

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