Assam industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on January 5 called upon investors, especially in the rubber industry, to come to the state given its geographical advantage of accessibility to ASEAN and South East Asian countries.
“The ongoing project of Multi-Modal Logistic Park (MMLP) at Jogighopa will boost trade and commerce bringing Bangladesh and neighbouring countries to only 3 hours travel time from Assam,” the minister said, during a video conference with leading industrialists of the country and Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, for promoting rubber plantation in India.
The webinar was also attended by chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, chief secretaries, and senior officers of the country.
Goyal thanked the Automotive Tyre Manufactures’ Association (ATMA) for agreeing to invest Rs 1,100 crore for developing plantation in 2,00,000 hectares within a span of five years in Northeast India.
Acknowledging the good quality of rubber produced in Northeast, Goyal described the region as an ideal rubber procurement zone.
He urged the Northeast states to work out schemes and coordinate with NABARD for loan assistance to the farmers.
To a query of single-window clearance by Onkar Kanwar, CMD of Apollo Tyre, and Anshuman Singhania, CMD, JK Tyre, Patowary said Assam believes in ease of doing business through single-window clearance of over 454 G2B services with facility for online payment and handholding support.
‘Advantage Assam summit brought investments worth Rs 65,000 crore’
The minister added that Advantage Assam summit has brought in investments worth Rs 65,000 crore and with the simplified MSME Act, 2020, land bank, industrial corridor, Assam is the next destination for rubber industries to flourish.
He mentioned the example of Patanjali being given land and power in record 48 hours’ time to cite the prevalent industry-friendly ecosystem in the state.
‘Assam aims to increase rubber plantation’
Patowary in the interaction said: “At present, total rubber plantation in Assam is 60,000 hectares of which 26,658.58 hectares is under tapping. With annual production of 31,590 Metric Ton and revenue generation of Rs 427 crore, this sector has provided employment to 2 lakhs people.”
The government aims to increase cultivation from the potential 1.3 lakh hectares to 5 lakh hectares, he added.
Patowary asked the Union government to provide saplings suitable for the climatic condition of Northeast, planting materials and machineries to increase production, and improve the livelihood of the people.
“Government of Assam is committed to tap and promote the huge potentiality of the state’s rubber sector. Industries and commerce department will soon establish nine Primary Processing Centre (PPCs) to promote rubber plantation in the state. Each PPC will cost Rs 50 lakh and 50% subsidy will be provided to rubber farmers,” Patowary said.
