Guwahati: The Assam government has approved the development of a dedicated Defence Park spread across approximately 6,000 bighas of land near Nellie in Morigaon district to attract investments in the defence manufacturing sector.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision at a press conference following a state Cabinet meeting, stating that the proposed park would cover several adjoining villages under Nellie, including Bhogduba, Basundhari, Alisinga, Kholapathar and Sarumati Parbat, beyond Jagiroad.
According to the Chief Minister, the Cabinet has approved the transfer of the identified land to the Industries Department for developing the proposed facility.
The land parcel will include government-owned land as well as plots to be acquired from local residents. Sarma said discussions had already been held with the local people and expressed confidence that the acquisition process would not face major hurdles.
The proposed Defence Park is aimed at addressing the lack of dedicated infrastructure and land availability, which the government believes has prevented Assam from attracting investments in the defence manufacturing sector despite having a state defence policy.
While several other states have attracted investments in the manufacturing of defence equipment, including BrahMos missiles and helicopters, Assam has so far focused on projects such as the semiconductor facility and fertiliser plant.
The state government now intends to expand its industrial base by developing the defence manufacturing sector in line with the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
To attract major investors, the government plans to organise roadshows and other promotional activities in the coming days.
The proposed Defence Park is expected to form a key component of the government’s broader plan to establish a dedicated defence manufacturing corridor in Assam.