Drawing on the gains made during Advantage Assam 2.0, the Government of Assam last month signed MoUs worth ₹22,900 cr with investors across diverse sectors at a ceremonial agreement exchange programme organised in Guwahati. This marks one of the State’s most substantial investment mobilizations in recent history.
Terming the event as the dawn of a new era of investment and development in Assam, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Signing of agreements for 20 major projects across various sectors, represents a significant advancement towards the State’s developmental objectives.
The Chief Minister further informed the gathering that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the Narengi-Kurua bridge on the Guwahati Ring Road in September this year. Additionally, the Union Cabinet has given the nod for Guwahati-Silchar Access-Controlled Motorway with an allocated budget of ₹23,000 cr.
The Chief Minister also said that a similar event is scheduled to take place in September–October this year, during which major investment agreements are expected to be finalised.
On Amul, the Chief Minister said, “Amul is expected to generate 20,000 job opportunities through an investment of ₹75 cr. An MoU has been signed with the National Dairy Development Board for milk production in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat, with a target output of 3 lakh litres. The initiative is expected to become operational by September.”
He also mentioned that a fourth project agreement with Amul has been signed for additional milk production, “Presently, Assam produces approximately 1.3 lakh litres of milk daily, with a long-term objective of increasing this figure to 10 lakh litres per day over the next four to five years. The current efforts are aligned with this goal and requested Amul to establish two additional projects within the State.”
The Chief Minister, meanwhile, urged industries to expand beyond Kamrup, proposing Biswanath as a potential location for Amul’s second dairy unit in the State.
Mentioning about the power of industrialisation, the Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering, questioned, “Remember how some quarters protested against Adani’s bid for Guwahati airport? To them I want to say – today the jobs generated by Guwahati Airport have increased three times to 10,000 and with the new airport coming up, over 30,000 jobs will be created.”
The Chief Minister stressed that development of any State requires the incorporation of innovative ideas. In line with this objective, a new department titled ‘Start-up and Innovation’ was established in the previous budget. Under the MASI Startup Programme, financial support totalling ₹2 cr has been provided to 24 emerging start-ups. These entrepreneurs have received grants under categories such as Start-ups for Scale-Up, Start-ups from Idea to Proof of Concept, patent reimbursement, and GST reimbursement.
“Start-ups are engaged in sectors, including biotechnology, clean technology, and advanced innovation. Young individuals from the State are making progress in obtaining patents and applying their ideas in practical domains. The individuals from outside the State are also showing interest in working at incubation centres in Assam,” he stated.
At the same event, the Chief Minister voiced his concern about outward migration, “Nearly 20 lakh youths from Assam are employed outside the State, many earning just ₹6,000–₹7,000. We must reverse this trend by creating dignified opportunities here.”
State Industry Minister Bimal Bora after attending the MoU signing ceremony thanked Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma for transforming Assam’s industrial landscape and taking it to new heights.
