GUWAHATI, June 10: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that acquiring land for projects is a major hurdle for the state.
Sarma claimed that he currently has investment proposals of Rs 1 lakh crore but the projects are not being implemented due to unavailability of land.
He said people must be made to understand the benefits of having industries, especially the employment opportunities it will provide to the youth.
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Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s state office here on the 11th anniversary of the Narendra Modi-led central government, Sarma said, “At times, we don’t remember how it was here before. The people who have seen Assam before 2014 and now in 2025 have seen the difference.”
He said that infrastructure in the Northeast was left neglected by former Congress governments on the pretext that if roads were developed here, Chinese forces could easily enter.
“But now, we have the best roads in Arunachal Pradesh and train connectivity is being improved there. We will have a railway line from Kokrajhar to Bhutan,” Sarma added, as he outlined the various developmental projects and welfare schemes the central government has undertaken in the last decade.
He maintained that for development to be accelerated in the state, change in the mindset of the people is essential.
“I have an investment proposal of Rs 1 lakh crore right now, but I cannot go about it as people are not willing to give land,” he said, adding that these proposals involve setting up thermal power projects, bio-refineries and big factories.
He said people have to be made aware that bringing investment will benefit the state and its youth won’t have to seek low-paying jobs outside anymore.
“When we understand that if development comes to Assam, our youth will not have to go to Gujarat or Bengaluru for grade 4 jobs, we can move ahead,” Sarma added.
He cited the example of Amaravati new township project on 10,000 acres of land by the Chandrababu Naidu government and said, “And here, I am fighting for 500 bighas of land. People are affected there also but they are prioritising the benefits out of it.”
Sarma said expansions have to take place to create job opportunities, mentioning how about 10,000 youths are now employed at the Guwahati airport and it will increase to 20,000-25,000 once the new aerocity project is completed.
“Tata, Adani, Ambani, all are ready to come. Even more investment from Japan can come, if I allow it. But I can’t as they will see the agitation (over land) and it will give a negative impression,” he added.
Sarma maintained that not allowing Tata’s Nano manufacturing plant to come up in West Bengal had dented that state’s image, which it could not revive for two decades.
“Modi ji took the Nano plant to Gujarat and since then, dramatic changes happened there… I hope people will understand and we can get work done,” he added.
Sarma, praising Modi’s commitment towards Assam, said he has visited the state as the prime minister 35 times, which is the highest by any PM, including Manmohan Singh who was a Rajya Sabha MP from here.
“No prime minister had said ‘A for Assam’… Modi ji has a vision for our state and we will work to realise it,” the chief minister added. (PTI)
