Assam Cabinet Announces Stamp Duty Waiver for SHG Loans up to Rs 10 Lakh

In a meeting held in Guwahati on Saturday, the Assam cabinet—chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma—approved a series of measures aimed at easing financial and administrative burdens for its citizens. Sarma, while announcing the decisions, noted that the state wants to make credit more accessible for the poorest sections.

One of the headline items is the waiver of stamp duty on individual loan documents filed by members of Self‑Help Groups (SHGs) under the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM). The waiver applies to loans up to Rs 10 lakh, whether they come from scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks or any other RBI‑regulated institution. In plain words, if a SHG member takes a loan of, say, eight lakh rupees, they won’t have to shell out any extra money for stamp duty.

Alongside the credit‑related relief, the cabinet also gave the green light to the Assam Ayurvedic Health Services Rules, 2026. These rules lay down the recruitment process and service conditions for medical officers in the state’s Ayurvedic health system, a move meant to professionalise the sector. The same meeting fixed the procurement mode for Masur dal and sugar for the October 2026‑March 2027 period, assigning the task to NAFED, which will run an open‑market tender to fetch competitive rates.

In another administrative tweak, the cabinet decided that registration of various property‑related agreements will now be compulsory. That covers everything from sale and development contracts to short‑term leases, powers of attorney, equitable mortgages, bank guarantees and even merger‑related conveyances. The aim, officials say, is to bring more transparency and legal certainty to real‑estate transactions.

The education sector also saw a modest but meaningful change. The rules governing admissions to Assam’s medical and dental colleges were amended to increase the seat allocation for several indigenous communities—Moran, Matak, Tai Ahom, Chutia and Koch Rajbongshi—by one seat each. Additionally, two MBBS seats have been earmarked for orphan candidates who are domiciled in the state, deducted from the respective community quotas.

Finally, to help permanent residents who studied outside Assam claim their state quota, the cabinet formalised a new certificate format issued by the District Commissioner, vetted by the Advocate General. This should smooth out the paperwork for many aspirants.