Assam Cabinet adopts mandatory Muslim marriage registration and new development schemes

In a Thursday meeting, the Assam Cabinet ratified the Assam Muslim Marriage Registration (Compulsory) Rules, 2026, which will require all Muslim marriages to be recorded by state registrars, with the option to involve panchayat officials where application volumes are high. The rules are issued under Section 25 of the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorces Act, 2024, replacing earlier provisions that barred kazis from registration.

The cabinet also provided a one-time extension for women self-help group members to complete Aadhaar enrolment until March 31 2027, citing loan access issues. A Rs 796.88 crore Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) project was approved, financed by an Asian Development Bank loan of Rs 637.504 crore and state funds. Further decisions included allocating land for an industrial estate in Kamrup, a rent-based construction model for a new Spices Board laboratory in Guwahati, full state coverage of the mandatory 10 % promoter contribution under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, and an Rs 11,000 crore investment by JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd to build a clinker unit and four grinding plants, creating about 2,000 jobs. The cabinet also set subsidised sugar pricing for NFSA beneficiaries and scheduled elections for two autonomous councils in November.