Cabinet approves implementation of 57 recommendations of Clause 6 panel: Himanta on Assam Accord

Guwahati: The Assam cabinet on Wednesday decided to implement 57 of the 67 recommendations given by the Justice Biplab Sarma committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

The cabinet deliberated on various recommendations of the panel to protect and safeguard land, language and culture of the indigenous people of Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference after the meeting held in Lakhimpur.

The Clause 6 of the Assam Accord states that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards will be provided to protect the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.

''A decision has been taken to implement 85 per cent of the recommendations and we will take up the remaining with the central government as these fall within its purview," Sarma said.

The recommendations that will be implemented will be announced in the next three to four days in Guwahati, while the Group of Ministers will discuss the matter with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and other organisations, he said.

The state government will implement the 57 recommendations by April 15, 2025, Sarma said.

This marks a ''historic milestone for Assam and stands out as one of the most significant efforts since Independence to protect the rights of the people of the state," he said.

"The state government has already initiated measures beyond the recommendations of the committee to safeguard the interest of the indigenous population'', the chief minister added.

The 57 recommendations of the committee on Clause 6 will be applicable across the state, except for the Sixth Schedule areas of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and Bodoland Territorial Region along with Barak Valley.

These will be implemented only after consultation and concurrence of the authorities and people.

The committee was set up in 2019 following widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, and the report was submitted by the panel to then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in 2020 to hand over the same to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 after a six-year-long violent anti-foreigner movement.

The Clause 6 states, among other clauses, that names of all foreigners coming to Assam on or after March 25, 1971 would be detected and deleted from electoral rolls and steps would be taken to deport them.

The state cabinet also decided to enter into an agreement with banks where employees have their salary accounts to offer insurance coverage to them, Sarma said.

An accident coverage of Rs 1 crore each for death and total disability, and Rs 80 lakh for partial disability, while an amount of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to the families in case of death due to illness, in addition to the usual compensation provided by the government.

The cabinet also approved a proposal to set up a hotel by the Tata group near the semiconductor unit being set up by the conglomerate at Jagiroad in Morigaon district.

The council of ministers also decided to pay a 20 per cent bonus in a single instalment to workers of the Assam Tea Corporation Limited's estates, he said.

The cabinet approved a proposal that the 39 newly created sub-districts will become functional from October 2, he said.

The cabinet gave its nod for the extension of the industrial and start-up policy of the state government, which had expired recently, so that industrial growth is not affected.

The council of ministers decided to issue ration cards to an additional 20 lakh people, Sarma said.

The cabinet meeting at Lakhimpur was the 18th outstation meet and several decisions regarding projects worth Rs 213 crore for five assembly constituencies of the district were taken to boost its heritage and development trajectory, the chief minister added.