Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of a permanent ‘Samadhi Kshetra’ at Sonapur in honour of legendary singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, while also announcing a series of major policy and development decisions — from expediting justice in the singer’s death case to boosting cultural, social, and industrial growth across the state.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the memorial would celebrate Zubeen Garg’s artistic journey and contribution to Assamese culture. “The #AssamCabinet has approved the setting up of a committee comprising family members of Zubeen Garg and notable personalities to finalise the design of his Samadhi Kshetra,” Sarma said after the meeting.
The Public Works Department (PWD) will construct the memorial, guided by a special design and oversight committee led by Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg. The panel includes well-known personalities such as Palmee Borthakur, Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Anuradha Sarma Pujari, Biren Singha, Pulak Banerjee, Tarali Sarma, Shyamantak Gautam, Pranjal Saikia, Dulal Manki, and Sudarshan Thakur, who will serve as convenor.
In a significant legal step, the Cabinet also approved the formation of a fast-track court and the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor to ensure swift and transparent justice in connection with Garg’s death. The Chief Minister confirmed that the chargesheet will be filed by November, reflecting the government’s commitment to accountability and timely justice.
Among other major decisions, the Cabinet passed the “Assam Satra Preservation and Development Commission Bill, 2025”, aimed at safeguarding the state’s historic Satra institutions — the spiritual and cultural heart of Assamese Vaishnavite tradition. The Commission will protect Satra lands from encroachment, promote heritage tourism and Satriya art, and create a digital repository to preserve and globally share manuscripts, artefacts, and records.
The Commission will comprise a retired High Court Judge as Chairperson, the Director of Land Requisition, Acquisition and Reforms (ex officio) as Member Secretary, two representatives from Satra institutions, and a retired Civil Servant (not below Secretary rank) as Secretary.
The Cabinet also approved a revised Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for State Government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners, effective July 1, 2025, under the A.S. (ROP) Rules, 2017.
In education, the government sanctioned Rs. 12,512.52 lakh under the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Asoni scheme to provide admission incentives to girl students enrolled in Government and Venture Higher Secondary Schools, and for self-financed courses in Government institutions during 2025–26.
In a major industrial move, the Cabinet approved an equity investment of Rs. 1,272.09 crore in the Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd., a joint venture of the Government of Assam, OIL, NFL, HURL, and BVFCL. The project involves setting up a Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex (Namrup IV) with a capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes per annum, bringing an investment of Rs. 10,601.40 crore and creating 460 permanent and 1,500 ad hoc jobs.
With these wide-ranging decisions — from memorialising Zubeen Garg’s legacy to strengthening Assam’s economy and heritage — the Cabinet underscored its focus on cultural preservation, justice, and inclusive growth.
