Assam government announces closure of 36 revenue circle offices across 27 districts

Assam's Revenue Department has announced the closure of 36 revenue circle offices across the state, triggering widespread apprehension among residents. The decision, which aims at consolidating administrative services, involves relocating staff from the affected offices to other revenue circles within the same district. However, many locals are concerned that the closures could significantly disrupt access to essential revenue-related services, especially for rural and semi-urban communities.

The list of revenue circle offices slated for closure spans multiple districts. Among them, Bajali district's Sarupeta revenue circle office and Barpeta district’s Baghbar and Sarthebari offices are set to be shut down. The decision extends to Dangtol and Manikpur in Bongaigaon district, Halem in Biswanath, and Sapekhati in Charaideo. Similarly, Pathorighat and Pub Mangaldai in Darrang district, Gogamukh in Dhemaji, and Agomoni and Chapar in Dhubri will be affected.

Additional closures include the Dibrugarh (West) office, Rongjuli in Goalpara, Khumtai in Golaghat, Algapur and Lala in Hailakandi, and West Jorhat. In Kamrup Metropolitan district, the Chandrapur revenue circle office is slated for shutdown, while Kamrup district will see closures in North Guwahati, Kayan, Chaygaon, Nagarbera, and Chamaria. 

Other affected areas include Badarpur in Karimganj district, Kadam and Subansiri in Lakhimpur district, Ujani Majuli in Majuli, and Mikirbheta and Bhuragaon in Morigaon. Nalbari district will witness the closure of Pachim Nalbari, Ghagrapar, Barbhag, and Banekuchi, with additional closures in Amguri, Sivasagar, and South Salmara in the South Salmara-Mankachar district.

The official directive to close these offices has provoked strong reactions from the public, with many fearing increased inconvenience due to the potential need for long-distance travel to access services that were once locally available. Critics argue that the move will disproportionately affect rural populations, who may already face logistical challenges, and could exacerbate delays in accessing revenue-related services.

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