Guwahati: Assam budget announced the resumption of the govt’s flagship beneficiary-oriented welfare programmes that were temporarily paused during the election period, earmarking over Rs 6,000 crore for the 2026-27 financial year while introducing stricter eligibility norms aimed at promoting gender justice, integrity and targeted delivery.While Orunodoi, subsidised food support and several other schemes will restart next month, Jibon Prerana will resume in Sept and benefit transfers under Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu will begin from Oct.Presenting the budget in the assembly , finance minister Jayanta Mallahbaruah said in his budget speech that the state’s flagship Orunodoi scheme, now covering nearly 40 lakh families, will resume disbursements from Aug. The govt said it would continue updating the beneficiary list by including eligible households while removing ineligible ones to improve targeting.Old age pension of Swahid Kushal Konwar Sarbajanin Briddha Pension Achoni and Widow Pension will also continue under Orunodoi Plus.Distribution of subsidised masur dal and sugar to National Food Security Act beneficiaries will begin from Aug, with the subsidy linked to prevailing market prices. The govt said it would also examine adding locally produced mustard oil to the subsidy basket.Financial assistance under Jibon Prerana, which provides ₹2,500 per month to unemployed graduates during the transition from education to employment, will resume from Sept.Applications for Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Aasoni and the newly institutionalised Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Aasoni will open in Aug, with benefit transfers scheduled to begin from Oct. Since their launch, the two schemes have benefited more than 5.44 lakh students, with Rs 374 crore already disbursed.In a significant policy shift, the govt announced that the long-running Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award, under which meritorious students received scooters, will be discontinued from the next academic year. Resources saved from the scheme will instead be used to expand the Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu cash assistance programmes.The budget also reaffirmed continued support for farmers through Mukhya Mantrir Krishi Sa-Sajuli Yojana, procurement incentives above the Minimum Support Price, dairy farmers under the ₹5 per litre Gap Support Scheme, scholarships for students from socially disadvantaged communities, assistance for pregnant tea garden workers and financial support for children and widows affected by HIV/AIDS.Alongside resuming welfare programmes, the govt proposed a stricter framework for availing benefits. All schemes will gradually be integrated under a unified digital beneficiary platform with Aadhaar-based authentication. Men practising polygamy, govt employees found guilty of polygamy and persons convicted under criminal law will be barred from notified welfare schemes.
