GUWAHATI, Oct 30: In a heartfelt tribute to late singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, the Assam government has decided to donate its share of Goods and Services Tax (GST) collected from his upcoming and final Assamese film ‘Roi Roi Binale’ to the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, a charitable trust established by the artist himself.
Announcing the decision after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the GST proceeds will be used to support medical treatment of artistes, aid flood victims, and provide financial assistance to needy students.
“There is no entertainment tax on films in Assam, but the state will exclusively hand over its GST share from the movie to the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation to continue Zubeen Garg’s philanthropic legacy,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister added that for movie tickets priced above ₹100, the GST rate is 18 per cent, while for tickets below ₹100, it is 5 per cent — with the state’s share being half of the total. The decision, he noted, was taken in consultation with Garg’s wife, who gave her consent.
The Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, founded by Zubeen Garg, has been actively engaged in helping underprivileged communities, especially artists in distress.
In the same cabinet meeting, the state government also approved ₹2,205.75 crore as additional financing for Phase II of the ADB-aided Climate Resilient Brahmaputra Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Project. The initiative, covering 13 districts, will strengthen embankments, implement anti-erosion measures, and promote agroforestry development across 250 km of the Brahmaputra riverbanks.
Additionally, the cabinet has approved land settlement rights for the Moran and Matak communities, granting them hereditary land ownership similar to the provisions extended to tribal groups under Mission Basundhara 2.0, ensuring their long-pending land rights and legal recognition.
