Assam Unveils Policy to Boost Thermal Power and Attract Investment

12 May 2025 CW Team

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the growing energy requirements of the state, forecasting a rise to 5,000 MW by 2032, with an annual increase of approximately 1,000 MW. He noted that the new policy would provide companies with free land, water supply, and road infrastructure to facilitate the establishment of thermal power plants. The state government plans to procure power through tenders, and any surplus electricity could be sold to neighbouring states or exported to countries like Bhutan and Nepal. The Chief Minister reportedly described the policy as aggressive and affirmed that the government would buy power through a tendering process.

Under the policy, the government may hold up to 27 percent equity in thermal power projects. Potential project locations identified include Rupsi in Kokrajhar and Sapor in Goalpara. A mega thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,800 MW is estimated to need an investment of Rs 200 billion and about 3,000 bighas of land. The state is also in discussions with the Central Government to obtain coal mines in Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Simultaneously, industrial investments across various sectors are flowing into Assam, driven by Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit. These include Rs 9.81 billion from Kohinoor Pulp & Paper (P) and Rs 8.27 billion from RPN Specialty Paper (P).

Additionally, several other projects have received approval, such as a Rs 7.50 billion initiative utilizing Numaligarh Refinery byproducts, and facilities for breweries, ethanol and cement production, battery manufacturing, and recycled plastics. The hospitality sector is also seeing expansion, with projects like Taj Gateway in Jagiroad and Marriott in Guwahati gaining clearance.

To support this wave of development, the state government plans to construct a six-lane highway connecting Guwahati to Umiam in Meghalaya, along with other planned expressways along crucial corridors such as Srirampur-Guwahati, Guwahati-Jorhat, and Jorhat-Dibrugarh, all expected to be completed within five years.

News source: Projects Today

Your next big infra connection is waiting at RAHSTA 2025 – Asia’s Biggest Roads & Highways Expo, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Don’t miss out!

The Assam government has sanctioned the Assam Thermal Power Generation Product Promotion Policy 2025, aiming to attract large-scale investments to expand thermal power capacity and transform the state into a regional energy hub. As part of this initiative, the state Cabinet approved investment proposals amounting to Rs 77.30 billion. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the growing energy requirements of the state, forecasting a rise to 5,000 MW by 2032, with an annual increase of approximately 1,000 MW. He noted that the new policy would provide companies with free land, water supply, and road infrastructure to facilitate the establishment of thermal power plants. The state government plans to procure power through tenders, and any surplus electricity could be sold to neighbouring states or exported to countries like Bhutan and Nepal. The Chief Minister reportedly described the policy as aggressive and affirmed that the government would buy power through a tendering process. Under the policy, the government may hold up to 27 percent equity in thermal power projects. Potential project locations identified include Rupsi in Kokrajhar and Sapor in Goalpara. A mega thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,800 MW is estimated to need an investment of Rs 200 billion and about 3,000 bighas of land. The state is also in discussions with the Central Government to obtain coal mines in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Simultaneously, industrial investments across various sectors are flowing into Assam, driven by Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit. These include Rs 9.81 billion from Kohinoor Pulp & Paper (P) and Rs 8.27 billion from RPN Specialty Paper (P). Additionally, several other projects have received approval, such as a Rs 7.50 billion initiative utilizing Numaligarh Refinery byproducts, and facilities for breweries, ethanol and cement production, battery manufacturing, and recycled plastics. The hospitality sector is also seeing expansion, with projects like Taj Gateway in Jagiroad and Marriott in Guwahati gaining clearance. To support this wave of development, the state government plans to construct a six-lane highway connecting Guwahati to Umiam in Meghalaya, along with other planned expressways along crucial corridors such as Srirampur-Guwahati, Guwahati-Jorhat, and Jorhat-Dibrugarh, all expected to be completed within five years. News source: Projects Today

Real Estate

05 Sep 2025

Vitizen Hotels Signs Deal at Manyata Tech Park

Vikram Kamats Hospitality, as part of its ongoing expansion in key metropolitan markets, announced that its material subsidiary, Vitizen Hotels, has signed a long-term lease agreement for a 45-key hotel property at Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru.Strategically located in the city’s prominent IT hub, the property is well-positioned to serve corporate travelers, business professionals, and long-stay guests. The addition aligns with the company’s asset-light growth model, leveraging long-term leases to expand its footprint in high-demand urban markets.The hotel is expected to strengthen the comp..

Infrastructure Transport

05 Sep 2025

CONCOR Signs MoU with BPIPL to Operate Container Terminal at Bhavnagar Port

Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhavnagar Port Infrastructure (BPIPL) on September 4, 2025, in New Delhi to operate and maintain the upcoming container terminal at the northside of Bhavnagar Port, Gujarat.BPIPL had earlier entered into an agreement with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in September 2024 for the port’s development. Under this arrangement, 235 hectares of land has been leased to BPIPL for 30 years, with provision for expansion by an additional 250 hectares.The new terminal is expected to significantly enhance logistic..

Infrastructure Transport

05 Sep 2025

Concord Launches India’s First Indigenous Zero-Emission Rail Propulsion

Concord Control Systems (CCSL), a leader in embedded electronics and critical rail technologies, has announced the development of India’s first fully indigenous zero-emission propulsion system, marking a significant step toward the country’s railway electrification and net-zero goals for 2030.Powered by Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries and featuring a DC chopper-based drive, the propulsion system eliminates idling losses common in diesel engines, offering higher efficiency, lower costs, and zero emissions.What sets this innovation apart is its completely indigenous design. Except for..