The Assam government has announced the transfer of 3,000 bighas (approximately 992 acres) of land at the Doloo Tea Estate in Cachar district to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of a greenfield airport. This decision was revealed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during a press briefing on Sunday following a cabinet meeting. The land allocation has been increased by 500 bighas from the previous plan, which had allocated 2,500 bighas (826.45 acres) for the proposed airport situated near Silchar.
Sarma stated that the cabinet’s approval of this land transfer will facilitate the Union Cabinet’s endorsement of the airport project. The proposed airport is intended to serve as an alternative to the Kumbhirgram facility, which is a defense airport with limited potential for expansion. In November 2022, the government extended financial support to 1,296 families residing at the Doloo Tea Estate as a goodwill gesture.
The land acquisition process created significant controversy in 2022. Former Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia claimed that the Centre had not received any notification regarding the new airport. The state later clarified that the land was being acquired at the request of the AAI. Despite protests from tea garden workers about job security, the government assured that no workers would be displaced or lose their jobs due to the project.
Earlier, the Assam government announced a compensation package of ₹50 crore for land acquisition across the Doloo, Lalbagh, and Mainagarh tea gardens. In June of this year, Sarma indicated that a public hearing at Doloo Tea Estate had concluded, although workers represented by the Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU) expressed frustration over demands for the return of cultivated land or equivalent land for tea cultivation.
In other developments from the cabinet meeting, the government approved land allotments for 1,200 families under the Mission Basundhara scheme. A joint project between Assam Engineering College and Dassault Systems India Pvt. Ltd. was also authorized. The ₹243 crore initiative, to be established over 5,000 square feet, will offer courses in aerospace and defense, as well as automotive and electric vehicles, with the state contributing ₹43 crore and Dassault Systems investing ₹200 crore.
The cabinet also approved the establishment of Assam’s second Sainik School, which will be located in Longvaku in Karbi Anglong district. The projected cost is ₹335 crore, with 80% funded by the Ministry of Defence and the remaining 20% by the state government. Furthermore, compensation for 884 families impacted by land acquisition for a four-lane National Highway in Dima Hasao district was also sanctioned.
Additionally, the cabinet cleared the Assam Logistics and Warehousing Policy, 2025, which aims to position the state as a significant logistics hub. It was also decided to make the study of Assam’s history and geography compulsory for classes 6, 7, and 8, in line with recommendations from a high-level committee led by retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/assam-cabinet-nod-to-3000-bigha-silchar-airport-land-new-sainik-school-key-projects-1600428
Category: Assam,Featured
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Publish Date: 2025-12-08 09:22:00
