Sonakshi Sarkar

In a significant push for cultural preservation and academic excellence, the Assam government has allocated ₹100 crore to Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra under the Assam Budget 2025. This one-time grant aims to enhance advanced research, modern preservation techniques, and documentation of Assam’s rich cultural heritage. The move aligns with the government's commitment to fully implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, ensuring the protection and promotion of Assamese identity. In a parallel effort to boost media education, the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute will be upgraded to a degree-level institution from its current diploma-level status. This transformation,…

Yaba tablets worth Rs 30 crore have been seized and a person has been arrested in this connection in Assam's Cachar district, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. A total of 98,000 tablets, along with Rs 3.5 lakh in cash, were seized during the operation in Lakhipur police station area on Monday night, he said. "Massive drug bust in Assam: 98,000 Yaba tablets seized worth Rs 30 crore! Thanks to credible intelligence, @cacharpolice launched an anti-narcotics operation in Chandrapur Part II, Kakmara, under Lakhipur police station, resulting in the arrest of a suspect with 98,000 Yaba tablets valued at Rs…

A 62-year-old Adivasi woman was critically injured after she was assaulted by a group of people on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Assam's Dibrugarh district, police said on Tuesday. The woman, a resident of Romai tea estate in Lahowal police station area, was rescued from near a river where she was dumped by the mob after the assault. She has been admitted to Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) here and her condition is stated to be critical, a police officer said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced a significant policy shift, permitting inter-religious land transfers under state supervision. The decision marks a departure from last year's ban, which was imposed due to concerns over communal sensitivities. Addressing the media, CM Sarma said, "Assam is a sensitive state, and our priority is to maintain communal harmony. While we had earlier restricted land transfers between religious communities, we have now allowed such transactions, provided they receive prior approval from the state government. This will ensure a thorough review of each case to prevent potential disputes and misuse." Beyond land reforms, the…

The Assam government on Monday presented a Rs 2.63 lakh crore budget for the 2025-26 fiscal, with a deficit of Rs 620.27 crore, proposing to exempt professional tax on a monthly income of up to Rs 15,000 for all salaried individuals in the state, where assembly polls are due early next year. Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, presenting her last full budget for the fiscal, also announced to extend the tax holiday for green tea leaves for two more years to alleviate the challenges faced by the tea industry. Neog said to support the hardworking middle-class families, the budget proposes exemption…