Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday questioned the use of labels such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha to describe young people, calling them Western concepts and arguing that Assam should develop its own approach to youth and development. Speaking at an Independence Day gathering after hoisting the national flag, Sarma said students should instead be viewed as the state's own “sons and daughters”.

Sarma announced that the Assam government would establish a separate department focused on skill development and the empowerment of young people. He said the proposed initiative would aim to prepare students and young people for employment and other opportunities. The Chief Minister also outlined a broader approach that would combine development and technology with Assam's social and cultural traditions rather than simply adopting models from elsewhere.

During his address, Sarma announced several development plans for the state, including an investment programme of around Rs 1.5 lakh crore over the next five years. He said approximately Rs 1 lakh crore would come from the Centre and Rs 50,000 crore from the state government. The proposed spending would cover areas including roads, education, urban development and rural infrastructure, alongside other development priorities.

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Sarma also announced plans for a satellite city, eight additional sub-districts and another edition of Khel Maharan. He said the government would provide free treatment for 50 critical diseases affecting children. On child marriage, the Chief Minister said more than 11,000 people had been arrested in Assam over the past five years and indicated that further action would be taken against the practice.

The Chief Minister also reiterated the state government's opposition to polygamy and outlined measures intended to protect the rights of first wives. He said that, in cases involving government employees who abandon their first wives, half of the employee's salary would be provided to the first wife. Sarma added that the government was working on a separate law that would cover similar situations involving non-government employees.

Sarma also addressed flood rehabilitation, land rights and Assam's linguistic identity during his Independence Day speech. He said the government would rehabilitate flood-affected people and expected to have a clear assessment of property losses by September 10. He also announced a land ownership measure for residents who have lived for three generations in 40 revenue circles, while appealing to different communities and language groups to identify their language as Assamese in the upcoming census. Sarma described these initiatives as part of an emerging “Assam model” combining development, technology and the state's social and cultural outlook.

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