The Assam government has decided to act tough against all groups that come in the way of industrialisation.
Organisations demanding money from industrial houses, threatening to oppose their new ventures and work has become a worrying trend in Assam.
Citing a recent incident, where an “influential” students’ organisation of demanded “Rs 28 lakh” from Kolkata-based Star Cements, which is setting up a Rs 250 crore cement plant near Guwahati, Assam industry minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that such “anti-industry mindset would not be tolerated” and such groups would be dealt with strictly.
Referring to the Star Cements case, Bordoloi said that the government has asked the concerned deputy commissioner to take suo moto cognizance of the matter and take action against the students’ body. The government has also requested Star Cements to file an FIR for the government to act tough.
Bordoloi said that he was slightly “worried” with the growing and “dangerous” trend to oppose any industry on environmental grounds. “How will we take Assam forward if we keep on creating hindrances for the industry” he wondered.
He said, people often cite pollution as an excuse to oppose setting up of industries, but then if industries are willing to adopt modern technologies to minimise pollution, he wondered what harm it could cause.
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“In the last 3 years, investments have started coming in at a rapid pace in Assam. Such anti-industry mindset of the people would surely harm the investment culture and send wrong signals to prospective investors. We will have to work to create a conducive environment for industrialisation. After all we need industries to solve our unemployment problem,” said Bordoloi.
Assam, in the last 4 years, said Bordoloi, had received investment proposals to the tune of Rs. 16,000 crore.
Almost all land in all the industrial estates and parks have been sold out.