Government of Assam revoked the facilities provided to former Chief Ministers of Assam

Government of Assam revoked the facilities of accommodation and full security coverage provided to former Chief Ministers of Assam prospectively in pursuance of the decision taken by the Cabinet in its meeting held on January 1, 2022.

In an official communique the state government stated, “However the present Ex-Chief Ministers of Assam shall continue to avail the facilities”.

The cabinet had earlier resolved that a personal security officer (PSO) will be deployed based on core security review and constitutional post.


The Central Reserve Police Force is responsible for providing cover to Himanta Biswa Sarma instead of the National Security Guard. His predecessors — Sarbananda Sonowal, Tarun Gogoi and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta — enjoyed NSG protection based on threat perception in the insurgency-hit Assam. Gogoi’s NSG cover was replaced with CRPF in 2016 after BJP came to power.

Similarly, Mahanta’s NSG cover was downgraded by the Union home ministry in 2019 as it decided to use the black cats for counter-terror operations. He was granted Z plus security in 2017. Sarma had been a CRPF protectee since 2017, He held Assam’s health, finance and education portfolios in the previous Sonowal government.

The Assam cabinet had earlier decided that Chief Minister's carcade to be limited to six cars within Guwahati Metropolitan Area and 12 in other areas/districts, excluding Escort and Pilot.

The cabinet had decided that during the road travel of the Chief minister, traffic will not be disrupted beforehand. If required, may be paused for a period not exceeding two minutes. Movement of ambulances to get precedence over CM's carcade and will not be stopped.

The cabinet had decided PSO will be provided on the basis of core security review and constitutional post. Assam chief minister Sarma said, “For providing this security around four battalions, 4440 people are deployed as PSO. Annually Assam spends Rs 400 Crore. This cannot continue.”

He added, politicians account for 50 percent of the deployment 2526, while civil persons 854 people are deployed. “Judicial services account for 546 people besides businessmen and youth leaders have 167 personnel. Around 40 personnel are with the tea estate manager and 52 are with former militants. There will be a complete overhaul of this set up and categorisation as “z” depending on threat perception.”