Assam raises Orunodoi payout to Rs 1,500 for October as Durga Puja gift

Guwahati: Assam Cabinet has decided to accord 17th October, 2026 as Durga Puja Holiday in addition to other four days already notified as puja holidays. Cabinet has decided to give Rs. 1500 to the Orunodoi beneficiaries as a part of the Orunodoi monthly incentive for the month of October instead of the regular Rs. 1250 grant as a gift on the occasion of Durga Puja.

Following a massive mandate in Assembly polls held in April this year, the BJP led government relaunched Orunadoi. The scheme rechristened as Orunodoi 3.0 will provide Rs 1250 to women.

It’s a poverty alleviation scheme started during Covid-19.


In March this year ahead of assembly polls the government distributed Rs 9,000 to about 4 million beneficiaries, totalling Rs 3,600 crore, under the Orunodoi scheme —the largest direct benefit transfer ever in the state.

The money transferred then comprised the instalments for the first four months of 2026 and a special festival pay-out for Rongali Bihu, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said.

The spring festival is celebrated in the second week of April. Assembly elections took place in April. The scheme started with Rs 830 per month to 1.8 million women. The coverage had reached 4 million while the pay-out has been increased to Rs 1,250 a month.

The cabinet on Thursday approved the implementation of the Assam Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) Project at a total estimated cost of Rs. 796.88 Crore. Of the total cost, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Loan will bear Rs. 637.504 Crore while Government of Assam Share will Rs. 159.376 Crore. As a part of the project, restoration and rehabilitation work will be undertaken of at least 102 derelict community beels.

The State Cabinet has approved a rent-based model or pro bono model for construction of State-of-the-art laboratory and ancillary infrastructure of the Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Guwahati. Under this arrangement, the Agriculture Department, in coordination with PWD (B), will undertake construction of the building as per the design and specifications provided by the Spices Board.

The Cabinet has approved the State Guidelines for State Financial Assistance towards the Promoter’s Contribution under the Central Sector Scheme ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)’ in Assam, and of the consequential financial provision.This includes

Collective Entities (FPOs, FPCs, PACS, Cooperatives): The State Government will bear the entire 10% mandatory promoter's contribution. The State Government will bear 5 percent, with the beneficiary contributing the remaining 5 percent.

The Cabinet has approved the proposal for the proposed investment of Rs. 11,000 crore of JK Lakshmi Cement Limited, towards establishment of a Clinker Manufacturing Unit and associated four Cement Grinding Units in the State of Assam. This will generate direct employment of around 2000.

The State Cabinet has approved the State Capital Investment Subsidy for eligible manufacturing units of Assam, which are eligible under the substantive provisions of the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI), 2024 but could not obtain registration under the said scheme within extended time period of 30th September, 2026.

The State Cabinet today approved the payment of a 20 percent bonus to the eligible workers and employees of the tea gardens of Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL).

The State Cabinet has approved the allotment of Government land measuring 256 Bigha of Mouza Duhalia Hill Part-IV, Porgona- Pratapgarh in favour of Agriculture Department, Government of Assam for establishment of the College of Agriculture at Patharkandi, Sribhumi district, under the Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.

It has been decided that the elections to Mising Autonomous Council and Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council will be held in the month of November. The State Cabinet has approved the setting up of an Industrial Estate under Kamrup District.