The Assam government will honour 1,000 progressive and educated farmers with a cash prize of ₹1 lakh each this year under the newly introduced Chief Minister’s Agriculture Excellence Award. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the initiative on Monday, stating that the programme is intended to encourage educated young people to view agriculture as a modern and promising career.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma said the government wants to recognise farmers who are adopting innovative methods and contributing to the development of the agricultural sector. The selected farmers will also be connected with various government schemes designed to provide support and promote better farming practices.
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The state has set a long-term target of recognising 10,000 farmers under the programme over the next five years. According to Sarma, the initiative will promote modern agricultural techniques, encourage research and improve productivity. The government hopes these measures will help farmers increase their income and become more self-reliant.
Sarma also announced plans to create a dedicated Youth Welfare Department to bring several youth-focused programmes under one administrative framework. The proposed department will coordinate initiatives involving the National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, employment exchanges and other youth-related programmes in the education sector. The department is expected to be launched around September 17, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
The Chief Minister further announced a proposed financial support mechanism for women whose husbands are Assam government employees and allegedly abandon them without obtaining a legal divorce. Under the proposed arrangement, 20 per cent of the employee’s salary could be transferred directly to the first wife’s bank account if she applies to the government and establishes that her husband abandoned her and entered another marriage without legally ending the first marriage. Sarma said departmental proceedings and strict action would also be taken against employees involved in polygamy.
He also referred to an earlier initiative under which 10 per cent of the salary of government employees who neglected their parents was transferred to their parents’ accounts.
Meanwhile, the state government is preparing to launch Project Sadbhavana 2 from October 2 to January 31 to address pending government files. Sarma said more than three lakh files remain pending across departments, directorates and Deputy Commissioner offices. A dedicated portal will allow citizens to report unresolved cases, which will then be forwarded to the relevant authorities. Unlike the 2021 exercise, which was conducted manually, the new campaign will rely on the e-file system to track and analyse pending cases more efficiently.
