Guwahati, Mar 27: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that the state’s governance system has undergone a major transformation, making the administration more citizen-centric. Speaking to a batch of IAS officer trainees, he highlighted the shift towards a proactive bureaucracy aimed at better serving the people.

In a post on X, Sarma said, “Governance has undergone a massive change, and bureaucracy is required to deliver in a proactive, 24×7 citizen-centric mode. This change is visible and real, and IAS officers must align with the new imperatives.”

The Chief Minister also noted the increasing participation of women in the workforce, emphasizing that women’s involvement in Assam’s labor force has exceeded national averages. Sarma revealed that women make up 52.8% of the rural labor force and 31.5% of the urban labor force in Assam, surpassing the national averages of 28% and 47.6%, respectively.

The government has been implementing policies to empower women and increase their participation in the workforce, such as skill development programs and ensuring a safe environment for women.

Additionally, Sarma highlighted the state’s new initiative to support female students pursuing higher education. The Nijut Moina scheme, which has an outlay of ₹1,500 crore, aims to cover 10 lakh girl students, with ₹240 crore allocated for 1.6 lakh students in its first year.

Under this scheme, undergraduate students will receive a monthly scholarship of over ₹1,000, while postgraduate students will get ₹2,500. Sarma also stated that the scheme is expected to contribute to reducing child marriage cases in the state.

“We anticipate that Nijut Moina will help eradicate the evil of child marriage in Assam,” he added.