Assam Cabinet Approves DA Hike, Dibrugarh as Second State Capital Region
The Assam Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur on Friday evening, took several key decisions aimed at employee welfare, regional development, education, and strengthening local area development initiatives.
In a major relief for government employees and pensioners, the Cabinet approved an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) from the existing 58 per cent to 60 per cent. The hike will benefit more than eight lakh serving state government employees, pensioners, family pensioners, extraordinary pensioners, and compassionate family pensioners.
The Cabinet also approved the declaration of Dibrugarh as Assam’s Second State Capital Region and sanctioned the formation of the Second State Capital Region Development Authority, Dibrugarh (SCRDA-D). The proposed region will cover an area within a 20-kilometre radius of the Dibrugarh Capital Complex.
The newly constituted authority will be responsible for preparing regional and sectoral development plans, identifying growth corridors, and planning urban expansion in the second capital region. The authority will be headed by the MLA of Dibrugarh with Cabinet rank as Chairman, while the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs will serve as Vice-Chairman.
To accelerate infrastructure development in the region, the Cabinet approved the provision of Rs. 500 crore through the budgets of concerned line departments for projects related to the development of the Second State Capital Region.
In the education sector, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Assam Secondary Education (Provincialised Schools) Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026. The amendments to Rule 5(2) and Rule 16(4) will streamline and regulate the promotion process of serving Grade IV employees to Grade III positions.
The Cabinet further approved an enhancement of the MLA Local Area Development (MLALAD) allocation from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 1.5 crore per MLA for the financial year 2026-27. From the financial year 2027-28 onwards, the allocation will be increased to Rs. 2 crore per MLA.
Additionally, amendments to the MLALAD Guidelines were approved, allowing legislators to utilize up to 10 per cent of their annual allocation for the procurement and distribution of eligible community, educational, cultural, sports, and disability-support equipment.
The decisions are expected to boost employee welfare, strengthen infrastructure development in Upper Assam, improve administrative efficiency, and enhance local development initiatives across the state.
