Assam has received investment proposals worth more than Rs 5 lakh crore, reflecting a major shift in the state’s industrial and business environment, Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said during a pre-budget consultation meeting organised by the Assam BJP in Guwahati.
The consultation brought together economists, academicians, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, representatives of financial institutions, business organisations and professional bodies to gather suggestions for the preparation of the upcoming Assam Budget. Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and senior BJP leaders also attended the meeting.
Delivering the keynote address, Mallabaruah said the state government aims to prepare a practical, people-centric and growth-oriented budget by incorporating suggestions from stakeholders across different sectors. He said the consultation process would help the government identify key priorities and frame policies that support long-term economic growth.
Highlighting the government’s implementation of development programmes, the Finance Minister said around 90 per cent of budgetary allocations under the present administration have been successfully utilised. He expressed confidence that the government would continue working towards ensuring complete and effective implementation of development projects across the state.
Speaking about Assam’s changing investment landscape, Mallabaruah said there was a time when attracting investments worth even Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore was difficult. However, he said the state has now received investment proposals exceeding Rs 5 lakh crore, indicating growing confidence among investors.
He also said the establishment of a semiconductor manufacturing unit has opened new opportunities for industrial growth in Assam. According to the minister, two more semiconductor facilities are expected to come up in the state, further strengthening Assam’s position as an emerging destination for advanced manufacturing and technology-based industries.
Addressing the gathering, Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia said the state’s economy has witnessed significant growth between the financial years 2014-15 and 2024-25. He credited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership for accelerating Assam’s economic transformation and laying the foundation for sustained development.
Saikia said Assam is steadily progressing towards becoming one of the country’s leading states and added that its economic growth is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat”. He also highlighted the Centre’s growing focus on Assam, noting that the Prime Minister has visited the state more than 35 times in recent years.
The consultation also witnessed several recommendations from participants representing different sectors. Abhijit Baruah, Managing Director of Assam Air Products, called for greater support to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector and proposed launching a “Make in Assam” initiative on the lines of the Centre’s “Make in India” programme. He also suggested increasing the use of bamboo and cane products in government infrastructure projects.
Cotton University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ramesh Chandra Deka recommended greater investment in higher education infrastructure, while Bahubali Managing Director Akashjyoti Gogoi proposed insurance subsidies for small poultry and egg-producing farms to strengthen the sector.