Guwahati: The Assam Government has shut down four loss-making Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) over the past decade but has no proposal to privatise any state-owned enterprise, Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises Minister Bimal Borah informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a written question by Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi, Borah said the closed PSUs are the Assam Minorities Development & Finance Corporation Ltd., Assam Plantation Crops Development Corporation, Assam State Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd., and Pragjyotish Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd.
The minister said two of the four PSUs had no employees, while the remaining two had 24 regular employees who were relieved under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). He reiterated that the government is not considering the privatisation of any state-owned PSU.
Borah also outlined the state’s industrial and export initiatives, highlighting the proposed Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test (TSAT) facility at Jagiroad, which is expected to attract an investment of more than Rs 27,000 crore. He said the Government of India has approved Rs 10,255 crore in financial assistance for the project, while the Assam Government has sanctioned incentives worth Rs 3,789 crore.
The semiconductor facility will focus on advanced packaging technologies for sectors including automotive, telecommunications, artificial intelligence and consumer electronics. According to the minister, the project is expected to generate more than 27,000 jobs, comprising around 15,000 direct and 12,000 indirect employment opportunities. While no reservation has been earmarked for local youth, Borah said skilled candidates from Assam would be given priority.
He informed the House that 508 women from Assam have undergone hands-on semiconductor training at Tata Electronics facilities in Karnataka, while another 1,800 women have been sent to Bengaluru for specialised skill development to support the state’s emerging semiconductor industry.
On export promotion, Borah said the government has constituted District Export Promotion Committees across all districts under the District as Export Hub (DEH) and One District One Product (ODOP) initiatives. Export-oriented clusters are also being developed for traditional Assamese jewellery and agarwood.
The minister said Assam recorded its first legally authorised export of agarwood chips to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in May this year, with consignments valued at Rs 2.35 crore.
He added that the state is also promoting investment through the European Blue Valley Cluster Pilot under the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, focusing on tea, aromatic products, floriculture, AYUSH and other bio-resource-based industries.