The Assam government on Monday said nearly 700 human traffickers were arrested, and 174 kg of heroin was seized during 2024, dealing a huge blow to such cartels in the state.
Presenting the annual budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said the state’s fight against drug trafficking has yielded significant results.
“In 2024 alone, the Assam Police seized 174 kg of heroin and over 21,000 kg of ganja, dealing a major blow to organised crime networks,” she added.
Similarly, efforts to combat human trafficking have intensified with the Assam Police registering over 450 cases, arresting more than 690 traffickers, and successfully rescuing around 900 victims, Neog said.
“Due to various initiatives aimed at women’s safety, Assam’s ranking in crimes against women has improved significantly from the 7th position in 2021 to the 14th position in 2023, as per the Crime in India report,” she added.
The minister also said the government’s flagship scheme, ‘Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moin, a’ has shown a “very positive impact on boosting girls’ education” by reducing the school dropout rate and arresting the menace of child marriage.
“The scheme is a symbol of our commitment to gender equality and inclusive growth. Last year, around 1.8 lakh girls benefited from this initiative,” she added.
The government last year launched the scheme to support girls’ education by providing monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 for Class 11 students, ₹1,250 for first-year undergraduates, and ₹2,500 for first-year postgraduates and BEd students for 10 months.
“With great satisfaction, Speaker sir, I announce that this year, we will expand the ‘Nijut Moina Scheme’ to 4.3 lakh girls. This expansion covers a new batch of girls entering the first year, while ensuring continued support for those advancing to the second year,” Neog said in the budget speech.
The minister proposed to extend this benefit to girls pursuing self-financed courses in government educational institutions.
“To ensure timely disbursal of benefit to the students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), I allocate ₹391 crore for the FY 2025-26,” she said.
Neog also informed the House that secretaries of gaon panchayats in general areas and ‘Lot Mandals’ of circle offices in Sixth Schedule areas have been notified as child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs).
The budget highlighted that the Centre and the Assam government have signed a memorandum of settlement (MoS) with all NDFB factions, Karbi groups, Adivasi groups, DNLA and ULFA.
“Apart from these, many smaller ethnic groups like RNLF, TLA, UGPO, NLFB, BRAU, UDLF, NSLA, ADG, KNLF laid down arms and joined the peace process unconditionally. A total of 10,819 former militants surrendered during the last 5 years and deposited 1,540 arms, 29,392 ammunition and 36 grenades,” Neog said.
Stating that the government remains committed to the rehabilitation and socio-economic integration of these surrendered groups, she allocated a budgetary outlay of ₹98 crore for this purpose.
Talking about insurgency problems in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), the finance minister said the area has witnessed painful ethnic conflicts in the past, affecting over six lakh people and leaving many families in distress.
“While most have found relief and rehabilitation, over 4,000 families remain without support. To ensure justice and dignity for all victims, I propose an additional ₹30 crore in this budget,” she added.
In line with the BTR Accord, over 6,600 ex-NDFB cadres have been provided socio-economic rehabilitation through grants and more than 270 cases against cadres have been withdrawn, the budget stated.
Regarding infrastructure upgrade works of the Home department, Neog said that the government has completed the construction of over 100 new police stations, and work is in progress for 162 more.
“The upcoming financial year will see further modernisation with Assam Police focusing on upgrading four Model Police Reserves in Dhemaji, Dhubri, Karimganj, and Tinsukia,” she added.
Besides, land has been allocated for the construction of new jails in Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Mangaldoi, Goalpara, Dhubri, and Silchar.
The finance minister proposed to allocate ₹8,291 crore to the Home Department for 2025-26.