Assam Cabinet Clears State Specific Uniform Civil Code Proposal
The Himanta Biswa Sarma government plans to introduce a customised UCC bill in the Assam Assembly with protections for tribal and indigenous communities.
On the first day of his second term as Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired the Assam Cabinet meeting and approved the proposal to introduce a Uniform Civil Code in the state.
The government announced that the bill will be tabled in the Assam Legislative Assembly on May 26, while the Assembly session is scheduled to begin on May 21.
According to the Chief Minister, Assam’s proposed Uniform Civil Code has been designed keeping the state’s social and cultural diversity in mind. Tribal communities living in both hill and plain areas will remain outside the scope of the law. Religious customs, traditional practices, and rituals will also not be affected.
The proposed legislation is expected to address issues such as fixing the minimum legal age for marriage, mandatory registration of marriages and divorces, banning polygamy, ensuring equal inheritance rights for women, and regulating live in relationships.
The Assam government said its version of the UCC will differ from those implemented in states like Uttarakhand, Goa, and Gujarat because it includes safeguards for indigenous and tribal populations.
In another major decision, the Cabinet declared that the BJP election manifesto will guide the government’s policies and decisions over the next five years. To fulfil its promise of creating two lakh jobs, the government has formed a task force led by the Chief Secretary to prepare a detailed employment roadmap.
The Cabinet also approved several austerity measures in view of global economic concerns linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. The state government has imposed a six month ban on purchasing new government vehicles and restricted foreign travel for officials except in medical emergencies.
The government also plans to reduce fuel expenses for official vehicles by 20 per cent over the next year. VIP convoys will be reduced depending on security requirements, while government departments have been asked to avoid buying foreign made products for six months.
Preference will also be given to electric vehicles for official work. In addition, offline government funded seminars and workshops will remain suspended for six months, and old government vehicles will be scrapped.