The Assam government has unveiled a significant initiative aimed at intensifying law enforcement efforts against crime and enhancing social welfare programs in its budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. During the budget presentation on Monday, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog highlighted the state’s achievements in combating drug and human trafficking, while also introducing proposals focused on women’s education and the rehabilitation of former insurgents. The state has made notable progress in reducing crime, having apprehended nearly 700 human traffickers and confiscated 174 kg of heroin in 2024 alone. The Assam Police have documented over 450 human trafficking cases, successfully rescuing close to 900 victims from traffickers. “In 2024, the Assam Police seized 174 kg of heroin and more than 21,000 kg of ganja, significantly disrupting organized crime operations,” Neog stated. She further emphasized the improvement in women’s safety, noting that Assam’s ranking in crimes against women has advanced from 7th place in 2021 to 14th in 2023, according to the Crime in India report. The state’s flagship initiative, ‘Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina,’ has effectively reduced school dropout rates and child marriage. This program provides financial assistance of Rs 1,000, Rs 1,250, and Rs 2,500 monthly to girl students in Class 11, first-year undergraduates, and first-year postgraduates and BEd students, respectively. In the previous fiscal year, 180,000 girls benefited from this scheme, and the government aims to extend its reach to 430,000 girls this year, ensuring continued support for those advancing to higher education. The initiative will also include girls enrolled in self-financing courses at state-run institutions. To ensure timely distribution of benefits, the government has allocated Rs 391 crore for the 2025-26 financial year, with funds being transferred directly to students through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. Additionally, the Assam government remains committed to maintaining peace and facilitating the rehabilitation of former insurgents, having established peace agreements with various groups in recent years. NDFB factions, Karbi factions, Adivasi factions, DNLA, and ULFA are among the prominent groups involved. Additionally, there are smaller factions such as RNLF, TLA, UGPO, NLFB, BRAU, UDLF, NSLA, ADG, and KNLF. Over the past five years, a total of 10,819 militants have surrendered, resulting in the handover of 1,540 weapons, 29,392 rounds of ammunition, and 36 grenades. To support their rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration, the government has allocated Rs 98 crore in the current year’s budget. The Assam government is also actively working to assist families affected by ethnic violence in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). While relief has been provided to over six lakh individuals, approximately 4,000 families remain without sufficient support. Neog has proposed an additional allocation of Rs 30 crore in this budget to ensure justice and dignity for all victims. Under the BTR Accord, more than 6,600 former NDFB members have been rehabilitated, and over 270 legal cases against them have been dismissed. The state government is prioritizing police modernization and infrastructure development. More than 100 new police stations have been established, with an additional 162 currently under construction. The Assam Police will also focus on modernizing four Model Police Reserves located in Dhemaji, Dhubri, Karimganj, and Tinsukia. Furthermore, prison infrastructure will be enhanced through the allocation of land for new jails in Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Mangaldoi, Goalpara, Dhubri, and Silchar. For these initiatives, the government has earmarked ₹8,291 crore for the Home Department for the fiscal year 2025-26.
Assam Budget 2025: Enhanced Measures Against Crime, Support for Women, and Promotion of Peace.
