Guwahati | The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday approved a series of measures covering youth welfare, child protection, labour regulation, education and administrative reforms, including the creation of a dedicated Youth Empowerment and Welfare Department and a comprehensive child protection policy.

The Cabinet also approved the renaming of the proposed Mini Secretariat in Silchar as the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar, with 32 major departments to be accommodated there, in a move aimed at strengthening administrative infrastructure in the southern Assam region.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decisions were part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen governance, improve delivery of public services and create greater institutional support for young people and vulnerable sections of society.

Dedicated department for youth

The Cabinet approved the creation of a separate Youth Empowerment and Welfare Department to bring various youth-related programmes and institutions under a common administrative framework. The new department will coordinate activities relating to the Youth Commission, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Scouts and Guides, Youth and Student Welfare and employment exchanges.

It will focus on employment facilitation, career counselling, entrepreneurship, leadership development and better coordination among various youth-oriented initiatives. The department will begin functioning from September 17 and will have a secretariat and directorate, besides zonal offices at the district level.

Sarma said Assam could be the first state in the country to establish a separate department exclusively for youth affairs, as youth-related functions in many other states are generally clubbed with sports departments.He said the government’s focus on youth empowerment was part of a continuing process undertaken over the past decade.

Child protection framework

The Cabinet also approved the Assam State Child Protection Policy, 2026, aimed at strengthening safeguards for children and improving regulation of childcare institutions. Sarma said the policy was framed in line with directions and observations of the Supreme Court and the Gauhati High Court on the need for a comprehensive child protection mechanism in the state.

Under the new framework, childcare institutions will have to comply with a range of safeguards, including the appointment of a child welfare officer, installation of CCTV cameras and adherence to a prescribed code of conduct. The Cabinet also approved the draft Assam Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2026.

The rules are intended to facilitate implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Rules, 2020. Sarma said the framework would provide clearer mechanisms for dealing with children in conflict with law and matters concerning juvenile justice, while also helping address issues such as human trafficking.

Labour reforms

The Cabinet approved notification of the Assam Industrial Relation Rules, 2026, and the Assam Social Security Rules, 2026. According to Sarma, the Industrial Relation Rules will replace three outdated regulations dating from the colonial and post-Independence periods.

The Social Security Rules have been framed under the Code on Social Security, 2020. Sarma said the Centre had consolidated 29 labour-related laws into four labour codes and Assam had now notified rules corresponding to two of them.

The remaining rules, he said, would be considered after further consultations. Barak Valley to get full-fledged secretariat. In another major administrative decision, the Cabinet approved renaming the proposed Mini Secretariat in Silchar as the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, Silchar.