Assam Cabinet Clears UCC Bill
Himanta Sarma says customised Uniform Civil Code will protect tribal and religious traditions
- Assam Cabinet approves introduction of UCC Bill
- Himanta Sarma says tribal communities will remain exempt
- UCC Bill to be introduced in Assembly on May 26
- Cabinet also announces austerity and job creation measures
GG News Bureau
Guwahati, 13th May: The Assam Cabinet on Wednesday approved the introduction of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the state Assembly during the first cabinet meeting of the newly formed government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Announcing the decision, Sarma said the bill would be tabled in the Assembly on May 26. The Assembly session is scheduled to begin on May 21.
The Chief Minister said Assam’s proposed UCC had been “customised” to safeguard tribal communities and preserve religious customs and traditions.
Tribal Communities Exempted
Sarma clarified that all tribal communities in Assam, including those living in both hill and plain areas, would remain outside the purview of the proposed law.
He also said religious rituals, customs and traditions would be exempted.
According to the Chief Minister, the legislation would address issues such as minimum age of marriage, compulsory registration of marriages and divorces, abolition of polygamy, inheritance rights for women and regulation of live-in relationships.
The Assam model, he said, would differ from UCC frameworks implemented in states like Uttarakhand, Goa and Gujarat because of special provisions for indigenous and tribal populations.
BJP Manifesto to Guide Governance
The Cabinet also decided that the BJP’s election manifesto for Assam would serve as the guiding framework for governance over the next five years.
In another major decision, the government approved the formation of a task force headed by the Chief Secretary to prepare a roadmap for generating two lakh jobs in the next five years.
The move is aimed at fulfilling one of the BJP’s major poll promises in the state.
Government Announces Austerity Measures
The Assam government also unveiled a series of austerity measures amid global economic uncertainty linked to the Middle East conflict.
The Cabinet decided not to purchase new government vehicles for the next six months and imposed restrictions on foreign travel by government officials except for medical emergencies.
Officials said expenditure on fuel for government vehicles would be reduced by 20 per cent over the next year.
The government also plans to scale down VIP convoys based on security requirements, avoid procurement of foreign-made products for six months and prioritise electric vehicles for official use.
Offline seminars and workshops funded by the government will also remain suspended for six months, while old government vehicles will be scrapped.
