Silchar secretariat part of plan to decentralise governance: Assam CM
Chief Minister added that his govt has also delegated several executive powers to district administrations & created multiple co-districts to improve governance
Assam CM Sarma at the Assam Secretariat in Barak Valley after its inauguration on Saturday (Photo: @CMOfficeAssam/X)
Silchar, March 14: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government is moving away from the long-standing practice of concentrating governance in Guwahati, emphasising a renewed focus on decentralising administration and bringing services closer to the people.
After inaugurating the new secretariat complex at Srikona in Silchar on Saturday, the Chief Minister said decision-making in Assam had long remained concentrated in the capital.
“One of our priorities over the past five years has been to dismantle this mindset and ensure governance and development reach every corner of the state,” Sarma said.
He said the newly inaugurated secretariat in Silchar is also a part of this broader strategy to strengthen administrative presence outside Guwahati and make government services more accessible for residents of the Barak Valley.
“These are not merely buildings but strong statements of intent,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the government has also delegated several executive powers to district administrations and created multiple co-districts to improve governance at the grassroots level.
Sarma said such reforms are aimed at ending the long-standing practice of citizens travelling long distances to district headquarters or the state capital to access government services.
“Our guiding principle is simple, governance must reach the people, and not the other way around,” he asserted.
Highlighting other initiatives aimed at decentralisation, the Chief Minister pointed out that the state Assembly had earlier held a sitting in Kokrajhar, while a new secretariat has already been established in Dibrugarh along with plans to develop a legislative complex there.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Kaushik Rai described the inauguration as a historic moment for the Barak Valley, saying it marked the beginning of a new phase in the region’s development journey.
Rai said the establishment of the Assam Secretariat in Silchar, would significantly improve administrative efficiency and make government services faster and more accessible for people across the valley.
“This is a valuable gift for the people of the Barak Valley. With this secretariat, administrative functioning in the region will become more dynamic and responsive,” he said.
Rai added that the initiative would remain a major milestone in the overall development of the Barak Valley under the Chief Minister’s leadership.
“On behalf of the people of the Barak Valley, I extend our sincere gratitude to the Chief Minister for this landmark step,” Rai said.