Assam Unveils Major Tile Manufacturing Plant to Boost Local Economy

Inauguration of a New Tile Manufacturing Facility

Guwahati, Oct 8: Assam has taken a significant step in enhancing its industrial landscape with the launch of a ₹250-crore glazed vitrified tile manufacturing plant located in Dighali Chapori, Sonitpur district, on Thursday.

This facility, established by the Lohia Group and Varmora Group, is touted as the first of its kind in East India for glazed vitrified tiles.

It is projected to create over 325 direct jobs and approximately 1,000 indirect employment opportunities.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma officiated the inauguration, emphasizing that this initiative represents a pivotal change towards utilizing Assam's raw materials for local manufacturing.

“Previously, raw materials would exit Assam for production elsewhere, with finished goods returning to the state. This is changing as we aim to process and manufacture products locally,” Sarma stated.

The plant will utilize raw materials such as china clay sourced from the Karbi Hills for tile production at Dighali Chapori.

Sarma highlighted that this facility would not only generate jobs but also encourage skilled workers to return to Assam.

“Unemployment is a pressing issue we are addressing. Many young individuals from Assam seek work in states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka. Our goal is to create local job opportunities so they can return and thrive here,” he remarked.

The Chief Minister noted that the state government is actively promoting industrial growth by facilitating land availability for investors.

In the last five years, around 1.5 lakh bighas of land have been cleared for development purposes.

“We need to advance both agriculture and industry. There was a time when companies were interested in Assam, but we lacked available land. We have worked diligently to change that,” Sarma added.

Additionally, Sarma announced plans for a precision fermentation unit at Dighali Chapori, which will produce chemicals for ethanol from bamboo and other industrial uses.

With the establishment of the tile manufacturing plant and the upcoming fermentation unit, Dighali Chapori is set to become a key industrial hub, according to Sarma.

Earlier that day, Sarma also inaugurated a dairy processing facility capable of handling 20,000 liters per day at the Kanyaka Marketing Complex in Shantipur, Jamugurihat, under the Mukhyamantri Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana.

Assam CM Sarma during the inauguration of the milk processing unit at Jamugurihat. (Photo:@CMOfficeAssam/X)

This facility aims to provide dairy farmers with a reliable market for their products, enhance the availability of locally processed dairy items, and bolster the rural economy.

Sarma stated that the facility would help boost farmers' incomes by establishing a dependable market for milk.

“The dairy processing unit will offer our farmers a consistent market for their milk, promoting dairy farming, increasing incomes, and strengthening the rural economy,” he noted.

He also commended Kanyaka for launching the facility, asserting that such initiatives would contribute to a more robust ecosystem surrounding agriculture and related sectors.