Assam Set for Tech & Rail Boom with Semiconductor, IT, and Infra Push
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled a series of transformative infrastructure and technology projects at the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit in Guwahati. These initiatives aim to boost Assam’s industrial growth, enhance railway connectivity, and position the state as a major hub for semiconductor manufacturing and IT development.
Emphasizing Assam’s role as the “New Engine” of India’s growth, Vaishnaw announced the establishment of a semiconductor manufacturing plant, reinforcing the state’s importance in the electronics sector. Additionally, Guwahati Railway Station will be transformed into an IT hub, strengthening Assam’s digital infrastructure.
The Minister highlighted the government’s commitment to railway expansion, noting that 1,824 km of new railway tracks have been laid in Assam and the Northeast since 2014. To enhance logistics and freight movement, two Gati Shakti cargo terminals at Moinarband and Cinnamara have been commissioned, with six more set to be developed at Chaygaon, New Bongaigaon, Bihara, Hilara, Baihata, and Rangjuli.
Further improving connectivity, Vaishnaw confirmed that a second Vande Bharat Express will soon link Guwahati with Agartala. He also announced two new Amrit Bharat Trains connecting Guwahati with Delhi and Chennai. Additionally, a railway engine midlife remanufacturing facility will be set up in Lumding, along with a Wagon Workshop at Bashbari in the Bodoland region at an investment of ₹300 crore.
The Minister also unveiled plans for a Greenfield Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in Bongora, Kamrup, under the Electronics Manufacturing Scheme, with a project cost of ₹120 crore. He further announced that the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) will be upgraded to a Deemed-to-be University, with a new campus planned for Jagiroad.
To bolster international partnerships, the Government of Assam signed MoUs with 10 industry groups from Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan to promote investment in the state’s semiconductor ecosystem. Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma lauded these initiatives, expressing confidence in the state’s emergence as a global semiconductor hub.
Source: PIB
