AMN / GUWAHATI
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi today inaugurated India’s first bamboo-based bio-refinery at Golaghat district. He said that India is on a mission to become Atmanirbhar in the energy sector and is reducing dependence on foreign fuels. He
Addressing a huge public rally on the occasion of the inauguration of the Bio Ethanol plant, the PM said that India will harness its deepwater energy resources and strengthen energy self-reliance and this bio-ethanol plant is one step towards that goal. The Prime Minister informed that India is among the top five nations in solar energy.
PM Modi highlighted that the newly inaugurated Bioethanol Plant, which uses bamboo as feedstock, would not only boost Assam’s green energy sector but also benefit tribal communities and farmers engaged in bamboo cultivation. He said arrangements are being made to ensure steady bamboo supply and that small chipping units will be established in the region. “This single plant will benefit thousands of people, and approximately ₹200 crore will be spent annually in this sector,” he noted.
Alongside the ethanol plant, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a modern Polypropylene Unit at NRL, describing it as vital for India’s manufacturing sector. Polypropylene, he said, is a key raw material for a wide range of everyday and industrial products, from household items and textiles to automotive and medical equipment. “This plant will strengthen the foundation of ‘Make in Assam’ and ‘Make in India’, and boost the state’s manufacturing ecosystem,” he added.
The Prime Minister also underscored India’s progress in renewable energy, recalling that the country once lagged in solar power but now ranks among the world’s top five nations in solar capacity. He stressed that alternative fuels like ethanol are critical for reducing dependence on oil and gas imports, which cost the nation lakhs of crores annually.
Prime Minister Modi pointed out that Assam is also playing a central role in India’s Semiconductor Mission. A semiconductor factory with an investment of ₹27,000 crore is being developed in Morigaon, he said, noting that energy and semiconductors will be the twin pillars of India’s journey towards self-reliance.
Touching on Assam’s cultural and historical identity, the Prime Minister said the state’s heritage is being preserved while aligning with modern development. He cited the renovation of Rang Ghar, development of Batadrava as a world-class tourism centre, and the upcoming Maa Kamakhya Corridor as examples of efforts to boost tourism and cultural pride.
The Prime Minister also criticised past governments for neglecting Assam’s development and failing to honour local heroes like Lachit Borphukan, whose 400th birth anniversary was recently celebrated nationally. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to empowering tribal communities through land rights under Mission Basundhara and welfare schemes for tea garden workers, especially women and children.
“Assam is entering a new era of development and is poised to become a hub for trade and tourism,” PM Modi said, reaffirming the government’s resolve to build a developed Assam and a developed India.
Mr. Modi also laid the foundation stone of a polypropylene unit at the refinery.
Earlier in the day, the PM laid the foundation stones of Darrang Medical College, Nursing College, and GNM School in Darrang district.
The PM also virtually launched the construction of a new bridge over the Brahmaputra River, connecting Guwahati’s Narengi and Darrang’s Kuruwa and the Guwahati Ring Road project from the same venue.
The Prime Minister will depart for Kolkata from Jorhat Airport after concluding his engagements in Assam this evening.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, amongst others were present on the occasion.