Assam clears SOP on hospital conduct, rolls out welfare, wildlife schemes

Guwahati: Assam Cabinet has approved the Draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Regulatory Guidelines to Prevent Coercive Practices by Private Nursing Homes/Hospitals in Assam and Hospitals must hand over dead bodies within two hours post-death certification irrespective of pending payment.

The cabinet has deliberated that there will no withholding of dead Bodies, Hospitals must hand over dead bodies within two hours post-death certification irrespective of pending payment. Delay beyond this may attract penal action.

The cabinet has stipulated that incidents must be reported to police and district health authority within 4 hours. A 24x7 toll-free helpline will allow families to report coercion . “Upon complaint, the designated authority must visit the site, release the dead body if wrongfully held and initiate legal proceedings. Guilty hospitals may face license suspension (3–6 months), up to Rs. 5 lakh penalty, blacklisting, or permanent deregistration on repeat offenses."


The State Cabinet has approved the scheme - Assam Goods and Services Tax (Reimbursement for Indigenous Bell Metal Industries) Scheme, 2025 to reimburse SGST paid by the Bell metal Manufacturer. The scheme will provide relief to financial hardship faced by the indigenous Bell Metal Manufacturers.

The State Cabinet has approved the proposal for the implementation of the Gaja Mitra Scheme in the eight most human elephant conflict prone districts namely - Goalpara, Udalguri, Nagaon, Baksa, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Jorhat and Biswanath. It is proposed to form a community-based voluntary monitoring and rapid response team in the affected villages. Each team would consist of eight members from the local community in 80 locations for a period of six months during which the Human Conflict is at peak and coincides with the paddy cultivation season.

The Gaja Mitra Scheme shall help to establish a proactive, trained, and community-based support system that can complement the efforts of the Forest Department in mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict by facilitating coexistence, protecting lives and livelihoods, and enabling safe passage for elephants through traditional routes.

The State Cabinet has approved to offer financial assistance in the form of a monthly stipend of Rs. 1500/- to the eligible celibate monks (Udasin Bhakats) residing in Satras of Assam. The decision to offer financial assistance is not only a gesture of respect but also a necessary step towards ensuring the wellbeing and sustenance of these bearers of tradition.

The State Cabinet has approved the implementation of the scheme - Prerona Aasoni - a scheme of financial assistance at Rs 300/- per month, for a period beginning November 1, 2025 till the HSLC examination to all the students studying in Class X in all the Schools of the State that are affiliated to the ASSEB (Div-I) and appearing in the HSLC Examination, 2026. The sum shall be transferred to the students through DBT mode.