GUWAHATI: The Assam government has proposed in its budget that government employees found practising polygamy will be dismissed from service. The budget 2026-27 presented on Friday also proposed denial of benefits under government welfare schemes to men found guilty of the practice.
“In order to promote women’s empowerment and gender justice, any male practising polygamy shall not be eligible to avail of benefits under any government welfare scheme,” Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said in his budget speech.
A person convicted of an offence under any criminal law would also be denied benefits under welfare schemes. The government proposed to amend the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964 to provide that any government servant found practising polygamy would be liable for dismissal from service.
The budget also proposed introduction of a “green cess” on identified polluting activities and assets. Baruah proposed to levy the green cess on stone crushers, coke-based industries, brick kilns, transfer of second-hand vehicles, commercial extraction of groundwater and such other environmentally sensitive industries and activities.
“The proceeds from this cess will be utilised for afforestation, pollution control, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, green energy, water resource management and other environmentally sustainable infrastructure,” Baruah said.
The government will launch an “aerial seeding initiative” using drones to disperse seed balls over inaccessible forest areas, hill slopes and riverine tracts to accelerate afforestation and restore degraded landscapes. The government will also launch “Assam tea and golf trail”, a tourism initiative that brings Assam’s tea heritage and golf courses into a world-class tourism circuit. The government will introduce proton beam therapy for advanced cancer care with an investment of Rs 550 crore.
Baruah said over the past 10 years, Assam’s budget size expanded threefold to Rs 2,00,782 crore. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called it a revenue-neutral budget that placed no burden on people. “Since 2015-16, Assam’s budget size, per capita income and own tax revenue have grown by 300%, capital expenditure by 900% and budget utilisation has risen from 58% to 85%,” Sarma said.
‘Tea, golf trail’ initiative to attract global tourists
The government will also launch “Assam tea and golf trail”, a tourism initiative that brings Assam’s tea heritage and golf courses into a world-class tourism circuit. The government will introduce proton beam therapy for advanced cancer care with an investment of Rs 550 crore.
