Guwahati, Aug 19 — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday urged further decentralisation of administrative powers so routine government services are available closer to citizens’ homes, announcing measures intended to reduce visits to the District Commissioner’s office. Speaking at the inauguration of the new integrated District Commissioner (DC) Office, Kamrup (Metro), at Rupnagar, Sarma said the government will explore delegating more authority to Additional District Commissioners and lower-level offices to make services more accessible.
Sarma said a meeting of District Commissioners will be held in September to examine how “maximum powers can be delegated to Additional District Commissioners.” He said the goal is practical: “People from Jalukbari should be able to get their work done in Jalukbari and people from Dispur should be able to get their work done in Dispur. We want to take this to the next stage.”
Announcing plans to decentralise land and flat registration, Sarma said registration work will be facilitated at six or seven locations across Guwahati where private centres will operate with a Sub-Registrar present, so “instead of buyers and sellers having to go to the Sub-Registrar’s Office, the Sub-Registrar will go to these centres for registration.”
Under Project Sadbhawana, the government will identify functions that can be delegated to circle offices, block offices and CDC offices. District Commissioners will be expected to visit these offices twice a week to monitor performance, the Chief Minister added. He also directed the DC to install CCTV cameras across the new complex to strengthen monitoring and accountability.
The newly inaugurated G+3 integrated DC office at Rupnagar cost Rs 81.20 crore and has a built-up area of 12,700 square metres. The complex will house the treasury, e-stamp office, holding office, Excise Department, Guwahati Revenue Circle Office, Food and Supplies Department and other units. The building has a 350-kilowatt solar power system, with an additional 100-kilowatt capacity planned, as the government aims for net-zero grid electricity use for the facility.
Sarma said the Rupnagar complex is the first phase of a wider plan to streamline administration in Guwahati, proposing another administrative complex and urging the DC to plan a 12-storey tower to accommodate officials from 59 departments. He also said several directorate offices will be shifted to Betkuchi to ease city traffic and consolidate Health, Agriculture and Education directorates, and that work on a Twin Tower complex is hoped to start “by April next year.” Recalling the “Bikakhor Babe Edin” initiative of January 5, 2023, Sarma noted many projects whose foundations were laid then have been completed, and suggested outsourcing cleanliness of government premises to a nodal agency to ensure upkeep.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam-govt-moves-to-bring-power-closer-to-people-push-decentralised-governance
Category: Guwahati,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-08-19 15:24:00
