Guwahati, June 6: The first meeting of Assam’s newly expanded Cabinet on Friday outlined the government’s immediate priorities, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announcing a series of decisions ranging from a Dearness Allowance hike for state employees to the creation of a development authority for the proposed second capital region in Dibrugarh.

The meeting, held a day after the swearing-in of 12 new ministers, marked the beginning of a new phase for the state government as it prepares for the final stretch before the next Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur alongside the newly inducted ministers, Sarma said portfolios would be allocated within the next seven days. Until then, all ministers will function as Guardian Ministers from Saturday.

Among the key decisions, the Cabinet approved an additional 2 per cent Dearness Allowance for state government employees, increasing the DA from 58 per cent to 60 per cent.

In a significant move aimed at strengthening Upper Assam’s development infrastructure, the Cabinet also approved in principle the creation of the Second Capital Region Development Authority in Dibrugarh. The proposed authority, to be headed by a local MLA with Cabinet rank, will be responsible for planning and executing development initiatives linked to Assam’s proposed second capital region. The government has earmarked an expenditure of ₹5 crore over the next five years for the initiative.

The Cabinet further approved an increase in the MLA Local Area Development Fund from ₹1 crore to ₹1.5 crore for the current financial year. The allocation will be enhanced further to ₹2 crore from April next year, providing legislators with greater resources for constituency-level development works.

Sarma also announced that the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will commence on July 6 and continue for 21 days. The government expects implementation of major schemes and decisions emerging from the session to begin from August 1.

The meeting was held on a day that also coincided with World Environment Day celebrations across the state, underscoring what the government described as a renewed focus on governance, development and public welfare following the Cabinet expansion.