Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog on Tuesday informed the Assembly that narcotics worth over ₹3,000 crore seized and more than 24,000 individuals have been apprehended across the state in the last five years, underlining the government’s intensified campaign against drugs.
Tabling the interim Budget for 2026–27, Neog said that since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government assumed office in 2021, authorities have also reclaimed about 1.45 lakh bighas (nearly 48,000 acres) of encroached government land.
Detailing the anti-drug drive, she said enforcement agencies have made over 24,000 arrests in narcotics-related cases since 2021 and seized contraband worth more than ₹3,001 crore. The recovery figure is more than seven times higher than the seizures recorded between 2011 and 2015.
On land encroachment, the minister said sustained and legally backed eviction drives have enabled the state to restore nearly 1.45 lakh bighas of public land, making it available for community use and development projects.
Neog also highlighted the government’s campaign against child marriage, describing it as a coordinated effort involving strict enforcement of the law, proactive policing, and community outreach, supported by welfare initiatives such as the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina scheme.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to women’s rights, she said the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Act, 2025, marked a significant reform aimed at protecting women’s dignity and ensuring justice within families.
The minister further noted that Assam has emerged as the top-performing state in implementing the new criminal laws, with an implementation score of around 78.13 per cent, compared to the national average of 53.69 per cent.
According to Neog, these measures have strengthened law and order in the state and laid the foundation for long-term peace and development. She added that since 2021, ongoing peace initiatives have led to the surrender of 9,022 former militants, who deposited 1,012 sophisticated firearms with the authorities.
Referring to the United Liberation Front of Asom peace accord signed in 2023, the Finance Minister said the Union Budget 2026–27 has allocated Rs 500 crore as the first instalment of a ₹5,000 crore special package for development and rehabilitation.
She said the allocation would support initiatives promoting sustainable livelihoods, rehabilitation of former cadres, and consolidation of long-term peace in Assam. As part of the Memorandum of Settlement, the state government has also committed ₹3,000 crore from its own resources for infrastructure and development projects linked to the ULFA agreement, supplementing the Centre’s assistance.
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