HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 9 : The state government on Tuesday signed MoUs worth over Rs 8,200 crore with private companies to establish mega industrial projects in various parts of the state.
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This will lead to the creation of more than 6,000 jobs, with more such mega projects in the offing, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
“Our flourishing economy takes yet another stride on the eve of the State govt’s 2nd anniversary. These efforts will bring investment worth Rs 8,200 cr and create 6,100 jobs. Many more in the pipeline. Thank you all for reposing faith in Assam’s growth story,” Sarma wrote on Twitter.
Commissioner, Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Oinam Sarankumar Singh signed the agreements with the industry players like PepsiCo India Holding Limited, Varun Beverages Limited, Calcom Cement India Limited, Star Cement NE Limited, Century Float Glass Limited, Taj Cement Manufacturing Pvt. Limited, Star Cement India Limited and DS Group.
On the other hand MD AIDC Manavendra Pratap Singh signed an MoU with the Adani Group for a Centre for Perishable Cargo at LGBI airport to provide state of the art infrastructure for air cargo handling facility to boost export of horticulture products from the entire North East.
Speaking at a programme here to mark the signing of the MoUs, Sarma said the government is in talks with more investors and “big breakthroughs” can be expected soon.
“We are looking for a big industrial summit in the later part of 2024. We are waiting for some big breakthroughs. Talks are already on (with prospective investors),” Sarma said as his government is set to complete two years in office.
He said MoUs worth Rs 8,201 crore were signed on Tuesday for investments in sectors ranging from FMCG, cement, glass and electric vehicles.
The chief minister maintained that the state government’s provision for developing customised policies to facilitate investments over Rs 100 has been instrumental in attracting industry leaders over the last two years.
Investments below Rs 100 are covered under a laid-down industrial investment policy, the chief minister added.
Claiming that MoUs for projects worth about Rs 14,000 crore have been signed, including the ones on the occasion, in recent times, the chief minister said that support from the Central government, private investors and people has made it possible.
“We have to thank the people of Assam for creating an atmosphere friendly for investment. There are no agitations, no turmoil. Since the Assam Agitation that started in 1979, it is for the first time that in the last two years there has been no bandh in the state,” the chief minister said.
Highlighting the financial and industrial achievements of the state in recent times, Sarma claimed that the average GDP growth of the state in the last five years has been 13 per cent, in spite of COVID-19 affecting economic activities.
“Our GST collection, tax collection, and royalty all are going in the right direction. In 2021-22, we were able to achieve more than Rs one lakh crore in public expenditure and the amount has only risen in the last fiscal,” he added.
The chief minister said the government is also working closely with research institutes and encouraging a start-up ecosystem.
He also spoke on the investments being done in different sectors, including hospitality, solar power production, industrial infrastructure development, ethanol production, tea industry, oil sector, piped gas supply project, health, horticulture and human resource development.
Talking about the accelerated growth of SGDP, the Chief Minister said that in the last budget the State government has created a corpus fund of Rs. 3000 crore to enable all the members of self help groups to convert themselves into micro-entrepreneurs so that they can contribute to the growth of SGDP. (With inputs from PTI)
