Assam Cabinet finalises 2025 Assam Baibhav, Saurav and Gaurav awardees and approves graded limestone royalty rules

Key facts

• The Assam Cabinet finalised the recipients of the Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav and Assam Gaurav awards for 2025, with Dr Harsha Bhattacharyya, president and founder trustee of Srimanta Sankaradeva Nethralaya, selected for the Assam Baibhav, the state's highest civilian honour, for his contribution to eye care and healthcare services.
• Four people were chosen for the Assam Saurav 2025: wildlife expert Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma, Padma Shri awardee Nuruddin Ahmed, singer Pulak Banerjee and greater adjutant stork conservationist Dr Purnima Devi Barman.
• The Assam Gaurav 2025 will go to 12 recipients, including footballer Holicharan Narzary, visually impaired cricketer Simu Das, chess grandmaster Mayong Chakraborty, manuscript conservationist Dhanjit Talukdar and NGO Kolong Kopili.
• The Cabinet approved the Assam Mineral Regulation and Dealers (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing separate grades for extracted limestone, including high, medium and base cement grades across three categories, so royalty collection is linked to limestone quality instead of a uniform rate.
• The Cabinet approved election rules for the Mising Autonomous Council and the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, with the State Election Commission directed to conduct polls in November.
• The 2025 awards will be presented in December, while the 2026 award recipients will be announced within a month, with honours scheduled for January 2027.
• A Cabinet sub-committee comprising ministers Keshab Mahanta, Ajanta Neog, Ranoj Pegu and Jayanta Mallabaruah oversaw the award selection process.