Unprecedented growth in Assam’s industry: Minister

Date:

spot_imgspot_img

Guwahati: Assam has come a long way from its days of turmoil in the industrial sector to clock an “unprecedented” growth in the last three years, claims state Industry and Power minister Pradyut Bordoloi.

Starting from the 80s, the minister said, industry in Assam was bogged down in bandhs, curfews, kidnappings and extortions, but there was a dramatic change in the last three years.

“Since 2001 several steps have been taken to revive industry and power,” Bordoloi told reporters here.

Representing the Margherita constituency in volatile upper Assam, dominated by the banned ULFA, the veteran politician said that Assam was known for its dominant tea and oil industry, but “sadly there had been a decline due to faulty policies of previous governments”.

In this, he acknowledged the role played by the Centre which, he said, realised that there should be rapid industrial growth to offset the decline suffered in the preceding years.

The minister noted that the government of India accepted the N E industrial investment policy and again in 2007 added a special policy guideline, so that the policy becomes more viable for outside investors.

“To develop the industrial sector, we have taken up a flagship programme for multipurpose development centre and we have planned resource mapping,” Bordoloi said.

“By extracting fibre from the industry based on water hyacinth, we have helped the women folk particularly from the districts of Goalpara and Dhubri,” he said.

On reviving the once-dominant firecracker industry in Barpeta district, the minister said, “Special steps have been taken to revive industry and expertise have been sought from Tamil Nadu”.

On the problems of setting up big industries, the minister admitted there were problems in this regard and the main difficulty was “scarcity of land”.

“Unlike Gujarat and Haryana no one here owns big plots of land, but on the basis of the NE Industrial policy we will give more emphasis on village level industries particularly those associated with the agri sector which will be beneficial to the common man,” Bordoloi said. (PTI)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

AKMTTA induced tourists taxi row spills onto streets: Meghalaya govt yet to intervene

SHILLONG, Sept 18:The tourist taxi row escalated dramatically on Thursday when protestors at Jorabat attempted to block the...

Agitators hold travellers on Guwahati-Shillong highway to ransom as state govts lukewarm to crisis

Nongpoh, September 18: A few days after the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) imposed restrictions on...

Mbappe scores 2 as Real Madrid win on opening night of CL

Madrid, Sep 17: Kylian Mbappé converted two penalties and 10-man Real Madrid came back to beat visiting Marseille...

Yamal to miss Barca’s CL opener

Barcelona, Sep 17: Lamine Yamal will not play in Barcelona’s Champions League opener at Newcastle on Thursday because...