Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on October 8 that Assam is pivoting away from exporting raw materials. The state is shifting toward a manufacturing-heavy model. Sarma marked this change during events in Jamugurihat, Sonitpur district.
He opened a new Allemby Ceramics Pvt Ltd tile plant at Dighali Chapori. This facility marks the first of its kind for glazed vitrified tiles in eastern India. It sits on 100 bighas of land and cost Rs 250 crore. The plant will use China clay from the Karbi hills. It creates 325 direct jobs and over 1,000 indirect roles. Sarma noted, "There was a time when Assam's agricultural and mineral resources were transported outside the state, where industries were subsequently established using those resources. That situation is now changing."
Sarma pointed to the new PepsiCo chips plant in Nalbari as proof. That site processes local potatoes. Future plans for Dighali Chapori include a precision fermentation project by Farm Box Bio Pvt Ltd. This site will produce chemicals for Numaligarh Refinery and ethanol from bamboo. Officials expect three major industries to settle there. This could provide jobs for 15,000 to 20,000 youth.
Government roles cannot fix unemployment alone. The state provided 1.60 lakh government jobs recently. They aim to add two lakh more positions over five years. At Shantipur, Sarma launched a 20,000-litre dairy processing facility. It runs under the Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana. This project partners with Bihar’s COMFED to sell under the Sudha brand.
The government reclaimed 1.5 lakh bighas of land from encroachers over five years. This land now serves public needs. Additionally, the state plans exclusive markets for women entrepreneurs in the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan. Sarma also inaugurated a swimming pool, marriage hall, and sanitation vehicles in Jamugurihat.
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