Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur, has approved a ₹303.69 crore investment proposal for a manufacturing unit in Rangia, announced a national-level award in the name of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika, and cleared election rules for two autonomous councils.
The proposed manufacturing unit of Weetek Plastic Private Limited, part of the Welspun Group, will be set up in Rangia in Kamrup district. The project is expected to create employment for around 300 people.
The Cabinet also approved the rules for elections to the Mising Autonomous Council and the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council. The State Election Commission has been advised to hold elections to both councils in November.
The Cabinet approved the introduction of the Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award to recognise outstanding contributions to music, arts and cinema at the national and international levels.
The award will be presented once every three years. The first recipient will be renowned singer Usha Mangeshkar, in recognition of her contribution to Indian music and her association with Dr Hazarika’s musical works.
The award includes a citation and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh. It will be presented at the concluding ceremony of Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s birth centenary celebrations in New Delhi on November 29.
The Cabinet also increased the cash prize of the Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev Award to ₹15 lakh.
Assam Civilian Award Winners Announced
The Cabinet finalised the recipients of the 2025 Assam civilian awards, which will be presented in December.
Assam Baibhav
- Dr Harsha Bhattacharjee — Health and Public Service
Assam Saurav
- Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma — Wildlife Conservation
- Nuruddin Ahmed — Theatre Arts
- Pulak Banerjee — Art and Culture
- Dr Purnima Devi Barman — Hargila Conservation
Assam Gaurav
- Devi Prasad Bagrodia — Writing
- Holicharan Narzary — Football
- Simu Das — Cricket
- Harkanta Basumatary — Palm Oil Farming
- Dhanjit Talukdar — Manuscript Conservation
- Nibedita Yein — Food and Tourism Entrepreneurship
- Mayank Chakraborty — Chess
- Jiten Sarangfangsa — Ginger Cultivation
- Tonumaya Sonar Biswakarma — Dairy Farming
- Dikpal Lahan — Travel and Tourism
- Kolong Kopili — NGO
- Padumpathar Agro Organic Producer Company — Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)
