Umrangso: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday laid the foundation stone for JK Lakshmi Cement’s proposed Rs 11,000-crore Project Kamakhya at Umrangso in Dima Hasao district.
The project, planned for implementation in multiple phases, will include three limestone mines in Umrangso, an integrated cement plant at 19 Kilo in New Umrangso and a separate cement grinding unit at Lanka in Hojai.
The integrated plant will initially have an annual production capacity of around one million tonnes each of clinker and cement, with capacity expected to increase in subsequent phases. The project is expected to generate employment for approximately 1,000 people.
Addressing the gathering, Sarma said the state was attracting large-scale industrial investments and that the government wanted to create more employment opportunities within Assam.
Recalling the migration of young people from the state in search of jobs, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said a government portal launched to identify and assist workers from Assam employed outside the state received details of 12 lakh people within four days.
Referring to Advantage Assam 2.0, the chief minister said the state had received investment proposals worth around Rs 5 lakh crore in sectors including petroleum, semiconductors, power, cement and compressed biogas.
Sarma said the government had decided to allocate 60 per cent of the royalty revenue from limestone to the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, exceeding the 50 per cent share sought by the council.
He expressed confidence that revenue from the upcoming cement industries would make the council one of the wealthiest autonomous councils in the country within five years and help it achieve financial self-reliance.
He said companies such as Ambuja, Dalmia, Star Cement, JK Lakshmi Cement and Jindal were planning to establish cement manufacturing facilities in Dima Hasao. These projects, he said, would generate employment and revenue while contributing to the district’s economic development.
To help local youth benefit from the industrial projects, Sarma announced that a special scheme under the Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan would provide financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to 250 young people from Umrangso every year.
He urged young people to explore business opportunities in transportation, commercial vehicles, canteens, retail outlets and other services linked to the cement industry. He also asked companies and the authorities to give preference to suitably qualified local candidates during recruitment, while allowing applicants from outside the district where the required expertise was not available locally.
The chief minister also announced plans to improve the road connecting Dima Hasao with Umrangso and strengthen railway connectivity. The government was also exploring the possibility of setting up an airport at Umrangso to support tourism, he said.
Sarma encouraged residents to establish homestays and other tourism-related businesses, assuring them of government assistance. He said Umrangso had potential to develop as a tourist destination alongside its industrial growth.
On healthcare and education, the chief minister announced that work on a medical college in Dima Hasao would begin during the tenure of the present state government. The institution would cater to all communities in the district, including the Dimasa, Karbi, Gorkha and Kuki communities.
He asked the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council to provide 200 bighas of land for the proposed institution. The medical college would also create opportunities in nursing, laboratory technology and other related fields, he said.
Sarma further said directives would be issued to ensure that all Grade III and Grade IV vacancies at the Kopili Hydroelectric Project were filled by residents of Dima Hasao. He urged the autonomous council to arrange specialised training for local youth to prepare them for recruitment as police constables and other government positions.
According to the chief minister, the industrial projects would also bring educational institutions, skill development programmes and corporate social responsibility initiatives, including scholarships and women’s empowerment programmes, to the district.
He asked JK Lakshmi Cement to consider setting up additional industries in Dima Hasao beyond the proposed cement project.
Sarma said the government would support industries suited to the region and beneficial to local communities, while extending financial and institutional assistance to the autonomous council.
Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Minister Bimal Bora, Dima Hasao Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Debolal Gorlosa, MLA Rupali Langthasa, JK Lakshmi Cement Chairperson and Managing Director Vinita Singhania, public representatives, senior government officials and company representatives attended the programme.