Staff Reporter
Guwahati: In a significant move aimed at perpetuating the legacy of 'Bard of Brahmaputra' Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the Assam Cabinet on Friday decided to institute a national-level award in honour of the legendary music composer, singer, lyricist and filmmaker.
Christened 'Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika Award', it will honour personalities having outstanding contributions to music and culture at the national level.
To be conferred once every three years to an internationally or nationally-recognised figure in music, arts or cinema, the inaugural award, which includes a citation and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, will be presented to renowned singer Usha Mangeshkar in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Indian music and her association with Hazarika's musical works.
The award will be presented at the concluding ceremony of Hazarika's birth centenary, which will take place in New Delhi on November 29. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, in another major move, the cabinet also decided to enhance cash prize for the prestigious Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev Award to Rs 15 lakh to reflect its stature as a premier cultural honour.
Chaired by the Chief Minister, the cabinet also approved the notification of the Assam Mineral Regulation and Dealers (Amendment) Rules, 2026 amending the Assam Mineral Regulation and Dealers (Amendment) Rules, 2020.
The amendment categorises extracted limestone into distinct grades-such as high, medium and base cement grade-across Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3. This ensures the government collects proportional royalties based on the quality of the limestone rather than a single flat rate.
Further, the cabinet approved an investment proposal from the M/s Weetek Plastic Private Limited (Welspun Group) for setting up a manufacturing unit in Rangia, Kamrup district with a proposed investment of Rs 303.69 Crore. It will provide employment for 300 individuals.
Election rules for the Mising Autonomous Council and the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council too were approved. The State Election Commission has been advised to conduct the elections for both councils within November this year.
Finally, the cabinet finalised the recipients for the 2025 state civilian awards, which will be presented in December this year.
Accordingly, while Assam Baibhav Award will be conferred on renowned ophthalmologist, and founder-director and president of Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya Dr Harsha Bhattacharjee, Assam Saurav will be given to wildlife expert Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma, art director Nuruddin Ahmed, singer Pulak Banerjee and Hargila conservationist Dr Purnima Devi Barman.
Social worker Devi Prasad Bagrodia, footballer Holicharan Narzary, cricket star Simu Das, palm oil cultivator Harakanta Basumatary, manuscript conservationist Dhanjit Talukdar, food and tourism entrepreneur Nibedita Yein, chess player Mayank Chakrabarty, ginger cultivator Jiten Phangcho, dairy farmer Tonumaya Sonar Viswakarma, travel and tourism entrepreneur Dikpal Lahan, NGO Kolong Kopili and Padum Pothar Agro Organic Producer Company will be given the Assam Gaurav Award.
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