Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed a Rs 501-crore caustic soda plant is coming to the state. This project aims to slash the state's reliance on outside chemical suppliers. It stops the drain on local industry.
Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) currently buys thousands of metric tonnes of caustic soda from vendors outside Assam every year. Sarma shared a post on social media marking the change. "This will now be history," the graphic read. The move ensures the refinery has an easier supply chain and cuts down on hefty logistics costs.
The state government expects the project to generate significant revenue and create fresh jobs for residents. Sarma frames this as a push to grow the industrial base and spark new business activity. Officials have yet to disclose the site location, construction schedule, production capacity, or the company tasked with building the facility.
Updated at 11th November 2026 at 2:01am
Beyond industrial projects, the state cabinet on November 10 cleared Rs 200 crore to fund the Mukhyamantri Ayushman Asom Yojana. The state government covers the tab for roughly 40 lakh families, while the Centre handles healthcare costs for 30 lakh others. Ministers also approved Rs 108.81 crore to reimburse colleges for free admission provided to over 1.5 lakh undergraduate students for the 2026-27 academic year.
Officials hiked the ex-gratia payment for Samagra Shiksha employees who die in service from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh. The cabinet also pushed to revamp classroom learning by procuring new teaching kits through the IIT Guwahati Research Park. In a move to consolidate resources, the Krishna Kanta Handique Government Sanskrit College in Guwahati will merge with the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University in Nalbari. The college’s staff and its 65 students will move to the Nalbari campus, though the government promised to attach the scholar's name to a future institution.
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