GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first ever global investment summit to be held in the Northeast under the aegis of Assam government on February 3-4, 2018.
Assam’s Industries and Commerce Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary informed that the state government would utilise the occasion to showcase its tremendous potential as an investment hub and the investors friendly policies of the government. “We hope the state will benefit immensely from the Summit,” Patowary added.
Meanwhile, a first-if-its-kind IT policy for Assam was approved by the state Cabinet on Tuesday, which seeks to roll out incentives for setting up IT industries in the state.
Announcing of the decision, state minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, “We will provide incentives for entrepreneurs who come to set up IT industries in the state. The incentives will be provided at the time of setting up the industry.”
Under the new policy, the state government will provide Rs 1.20 lakh incentive per employee for call centres with minimum 100 employees intake.
For units engaging in software development, the incentive will be Rs 1.50 lakh per employee, while for R&D centres with minimum 50 seats, it would be Rs 2.50 lakh per employee. Land and power supply will also be provided at subsidised rates for such units, the minister said.
The Cabinet also approved a digital start-up policy, for which a MoU with Telengana will be signed soon. An incubation centre is being built under this policy, which will be open for all departments to use.
The Cabinet meeting further approved amendments to the Preferential Purchase Policy in order to boost business of the MSME sector of the state.
Informing of the Cabinet decision, minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said, “Amendments to the Preferential Purchase Policy from Local MSMEs 2015 were approved today.”
Under the new policy, it would be made mandatory for all government and semi-government offices to make at least 25% of all purchases from local MSMEs.
Price preference up to 25% would be applicable for purchases from local MSMEs, among other features of the amended policy.
Patowary said the existing policy was not being actively pursued and the changes are expected to make it more effective.
Among other decisions of the Cabinet, it was decided to set up an industrial zone with 160 sq km,
