Assam set to woo companies leaving China

Worried over cascading impact of lockdown, Assam government on Wednesday said that they have moved Centre, Japan and US trade and commerce bodies to advise American, Japanese and Korean companies contemplating to shift their production facilities from China to India to setup their production facilities in the northeastern state.

Informing that state was prepared to facilitate robust industrial infrastructure and reliable connectivity, Assam industry minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told reporters, “It was going around that many American, Japanese and Korean companies are contemplating to shift their production facilities from China to India. To woo these companies, Assam government has taken up with Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India, Invest India, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), US-India Business Council and US Chamber of Commerce to facilitate and advise those companies to setup their production facilities in Assam as the state has strategic locational advantage, vast natural resources, robust industrial infrastructure and reliable connectivity.”

The minister reiterated that the state industries and commerce department is also in touch with DPIIT and JETRO for setting up of a Japanese Industrial Township in Assam to attract investment from Japanese industries.

Pointing out that industries in Assam contribute 39 per cent to the state GDP and provide direct employment to approximately four lakh people and indirect employment to around 20 lakh people, the minister, however, regretted that the tea industry has to bear a loss of `600 crore this year due to the lockdown.