Guwahati, Assam – The Assam Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on March 10 approved a set of decisions spanning healthcare, infrastructure, and cultural recognition. Among the key measures was the renaming of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta, which will now be known simply as Barpeta Medical College and Hospital.
Sarma explained that the move was intended to honour former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed differently, by dedicating another institution in his name to preserve his legacy with distinction. Ahmed, India’s fifth President and the first from Assam, remains a prominent figure in the state’s history.
The meeting also saw the Chief Minister hand over an appointment letter to Upasana Bokolial Gogoi, wife of folk artist Rajib Sadiya. She has been offered a Grade‑III post in the Revenue Department, with the letter formally presented at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.
On the infrastructure front, the Cabinet sanctioned ₹1,367 crore for the South East Guwahati Water Supply Project. Officials said the initiative will provide safe drinking water to several localities in the city that currently face shortages, strengthening urban infrastructure and benefiting thousands of households.
In a move highlighting cultural recognition, the government declared Ali‑Aye‑Ligang, the harvest festival of the Mising community, as an official state holiday. The decision is being seen as an important acknowledgment of the traditions and heritage of one of Assam’s major indigenous groups.
