Investment proposals worth Rs 40k cr received in 3-and-half yrs: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that investment proposals worth Rs 40,000 crore have been received in the state in the last three-and-half-years, with many of these projects in various stages of implementation at present.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a new bottling plant of Reliance Consumer Products Ltd's (RCPL) Campa Cola range here. 

Spanning over 6 lakh sq ft, the plant, being developed in collaboration with RCPL's local partner Jericho, is among the largest beverage manufacturing units in the Northeast.

It has an initial production capacity of over 10 crore litres for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) and nearly 18 crore litres for packaged drinking water.

Highlighting that the facility will provide 300 direct and 1,000 indirect employment opportunities, Sarma said, "Our youth who were working outside due to lack of industrialisation in the state can now return with such plants coming up."  He said MoUs proposing investment of Rs 40,000 crore have been signed in the last three-and-half-years, and many of these are being implemented at present.

"The atmosphere was not conducive for industrialisation a few years ago. But the situation has changed," he asserted.

The chief minister said he was hopeful that the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 summit will start the journey for private investment in the state, which will help in development.

COO, RCPL, Ketan Mody, said in his speech that the opening of the Guwahati plant in partnership with Jericho is an important milestone for the company.

"Our operations here will generate new employment opportunities, directly contributing to local economic growth. This expansion is a key step in our strategy for reviving India's heritage brands while fostering sustainable development of the region," he said.

Speaking at the launch, Ashis Agarwal, founder, Jericho Foods and Beverages LLP, said, "The launch of this Campa bottling plant in Guwahati is a proud milestone for Jericho Foods as a first-generation food and beverage business from Assam. We are committed to establishing Assam as a premier manufacturing destination, crafting superior products that enrich lives."  The project, developed in partnership with Jericho, a first-generation business house based in Guwahati, features cutting-edge manufacturing technology with two world-class bottling lines a 600 BPM (bottles per minute) carbonated soft drink (CSD) line and a 583 BPM water production line, a company statement said.

The plant will manufacture RCPL's popular beverage portfolio, including Campa Cola, Campa Orange, Campa Lemon, Power Up, and packaged drinking water under the Independence and Sure Water brands.

Primarily catering to consumer demand across Assam, other northeastern states and northern West Bengal, the facility also has the capability to supply other markets based on demand, the statement said.