Patanjali, Dabur, M&M plan to invest in Assam: Govt

Patanjali Yogpeeth and FMCG firm Dabur have decided to invest "in a big way" in Assam, while auto major Mahindra and Mahindra has expressed interest in setting up a manufacturing plant, the state government said today.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal discussed these investment proposals at a meeting held with state Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and senior officials on 'ease of doing business', an official release said.
"Citing examples indicating a positive trend in the economic sector of the state, the Chief Minister said Baba Ramdev is going to invest in a big way to set up his successful business module in the state and a major player like Dabur has also decided to establish a manufacturing plant for their different products in the state.

"Automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra has also expressed interest in setting up a vehicle manufacturing plant in the state which can give a huge fillip to the employment scenario of the state," the statement said.
Earlier, the Bodoland Territorial Council Authority had allotted 484.93 hectares of land to Patanjali Yogpeeth for establishment of Cow and Panchagavya Research for preservation and promotion of cow breeds and training and collection of medicinal plants.
Taking an urgent view of the need for industrialisation of the state, he said the state has to adopt a favourable tax regime working around the new GST system to attract investors.

"We must send a signal to industrialists and prospective investors that the government is very serious in providing business friendly environment in the state for business and commerce to flourish," Sonowal said.

He said there would be a single window for granting necessary permissions to business houses so that transparency and swiftness could be maintained in facilitating a business friendly environment.
The Chief Minister also said a land bank has been mooted to be set up in the state so that land can be leased out to prospective investors, while land lying unused by defunct public enterprises would be taken back so that it can be placed under the proposed land bank.

Sonowal said the government would try to exploit the special provision for Himalayan states under the GST regime and the matter would be taken up with the Centre that it would be wrong to club Assam with other developed states of the country as far as economic policies were concerned.
He said as the Northeast along with Jammu and Kashmir fall under Special Category States, there must be ways to provide certain exemptions to investors in the tax structure so that they come here and set up businesses, ignoring the perceived socio-political condition of the state.
The Chief Minister also said he would write a letter to the Prime Minister regarding the matter so that Assam's case was considered differently by the Centre.