Guwahati: The Assam government on Sunday approved the transfer of 3,000 bighas (around 992 acres) of land at the Doloo Tea Estate in Cachar district to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for setting up a greenfield airport, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced.
CM Sarma said the allocation was increased by 500 bighas from the earlier plan of 2,500 bighas (826.45 acres) for the proposed airport near Silchar. “The cabinet approved the transfer of 3,000 bighas at Doloo Tea Estate to the AAI. This decision will help secure approval from the Union Cabinet for the project,” he said.
The state had initially proposed a new airport spread across 2,500 bighas as expansion of the existing defence airport at Kumbhirgram is not possible due to security restrictions and rising air traffic demand.
In November 2022, the government distributed financial assistance to 1,296 families at Doloo Tea Estate “as a goodwill gesture”. Earlier that year, confusion over the land acquisition led to protests by tea garden workers after then Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said no proposal for such an airport had been received from the state. It was later clarified that the land was being acquired at AAI’s request. The government also reiterated that no worker would be displaced or lose employment.
The state had earlier announced Rs 50 crore as compensation for acquiring land at Doloo, Lalbagh and Mainagarh tea estates.
In June, Sarma said a public hearing at Doloo Tea Estate had been completed, though workers under the Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU) expressed dissatisfaction and demanded the return of the acquired land or alternate land for tea cultivation.
Among other cabinet decisions, the government approved land allotment to 1,200 families under Mission Basundhara and cleared a joint project between Assam Engineering College and Dassault Systems India Pvt Ltd.
The project, spread over 5,000 sq ft and costing Rs 243 crore, will offer courses in aerospace and defence, automotive technology and electric vehicles. The state will contribute Rs 43 crore, while Dassault Systems will invest Rs 200 crore.
The cabinet also granted administrative approval for Assam’s second Sainik School at Longvaku in Karbi Anglong district, to be built at a cost of Rs 335 crore—80 per cent funded by the Ministry of Defence and 20 per cent by the state government.
Additionally, compensation was approved for 884 families whose land was acquired for the four-lane National Highway in Dima Hasao district. The cabinet also cleared the Assam Logistics and Warehousing Policy, 2025, aimed at transforming the state into a major logistics hub.
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Sarma said the government has also made the study of Assam’s history and geography compulsory in Classes 6, 7 and 8, based on recommendations of the high-level committee headed by retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma formed to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
