PM Modi to inaugurate India’s first bamboo-based bio-refinery in Assam on Sept 8, launch mega projects and lead Bhupen Hazarika centenary tribute

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 24, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on September 8 for a landmark day of inaugurations and tributes. He will officially open India’s first bamboo-based bio-refinery, lay the foundation for massive infrastructure projects, and serve as chief guest at the centenary celebration of musical legend Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika.

The bio-refinery, built by Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) at a cost of Rs 4,200 crore, will produce ethanol from bamboo, making it the first facility of its kind in the country. PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project in 2019. Its commissioning marks a major boost for green energy, rural employment, and sustainable industrial development in the Northeast.

In addition, the Prime Minister will launch the Rs 7,500 crore Guwahati Ring Road Project, which includes a major bridge across the Brahmaputra linking Narengi and Kuruwa. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that the state will bear 50% of the land acquisition cost, along with GST and forest royalty waivers, while the Centre will contribute Rs 3,000 crore under viability gap funding. The state’s total contribution will exceed Rs 1,000 crore.

Another key highlight of PM Modi’s visit will be the inaugural session of Bhupen Hazarika’s 100th birth anniversary celebrations. The state has planned a year-long cultural programme and has sought to involve all Northeast chief ministers in a unified tribute. CM Sarma also proposed to the Union Finance Ministry and the RBI to issue a commemorative coin in Hazarika’s name, further cementing his place in national memory.

“PM Modi appreciated the initiative to honour Bhupen Hazarika at the national level. His presence in Guwahati will add immense significance to this moment,” said CM Sarma.

In another major development, Sarma announced a Rs 10,600 crore investment to set up the fourth unit of the Namrup fertilizer plant, under a new entity: Assam Fertilizer and Chemical Co. Ltd. The Assam government will hold a 40% stake, the largest among shareholders, which include BVFCL (11%), HURL (13%), National Fertilizers Ltd (18%), and Oil India Ltd (18%). The plant will produce 12.5 lakh tonnes of urea per year, rising to 15.7 lakh tonnes if merged with the existing BVFCL, potentially becoming India’s largest fertilizer unit. Tenders are expected by September, with work beginning in December.

The state’s development momentum continues under Advantage Assam 2.0, with the Adani Group pledging Rs 50,000 crore in investment. This includes Rs 10,000 crore for the upcoming Guwahati Airport terminal and Aerocity project, set to launch in October. With additional land support, another Rs 40,000 crore investment is on the cards.

Assam is poised to attract Rs 1 lakh crore in investments by December 2025, according to Sarma. Two mega infrastructure projects nearing clearance are:

The Rs 25,000 crore Guwahati-Silchar Greenfield Highway via Barapani

The Rs 12,000 crore underwater Brahmaputra tunnel connecting Numaligarh and Gohpur

“These projects are not just investments; they are part of a larger transformation of Assam into an economic powerhouse in the Northeast,” Sarma stated.

With PM Modi’s upcoming visit, Assam is set for a day that blends technological progress, infrastructure expansion, and cultural reverence, marking a bold stride toward a more connected and future-ready state.