PepsiCo India's 6th plant to coming up in Assam; more investments soon: Himanta

Later addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said future investments will be in unique sectors such as bamboo related industry and MoUs worth several crores of rupees will be signed soon.

The 'bhumi pujan' (groundbreaking ceremony) for the sixth plant of PepsiCo India was performed in Assam's Nalbari district on Wednesday. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma participated in the programme and said that the state is looking at a bright future in terms of private investment. Later addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said future investments will be in 'unique sectors' such as bamboo related industry and MoUs worth several crores of rupees will be signed soon. ''Today we marked the beginning of a Rs 770 crore PepsiCo plant in Nalbari. This will generate 450+ jobs & improve lives of 5000+ farmers,'' he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Stating that Assam extends a warm welcome to business opportunities, Sarma added, ''With Rs 12,000 crore private investments on the horizon, we are poised for a bright future!'' The food manufacturing plant of the global food and beverages major will be spread over an area of 44.20 acres of land and is expected to give a boost to local farmers through improved technology, high-quality seeds, disease control measures, etc. PepsiCo will also take women empowerment measures to improve their employability, official sources said.

Speaking at the 'bhumi pujan' programme, Sarma said the investment of PepsiCo is one of the largest in Assam.

He said the state government has adopted a positive approach towards the proposal from PepsiCo and provided various incentives to facilitate establishment of the plant, including infrastructure support of road, power supply and financial incentives.

The plant, expected to be operational by 2025, is likely to generate significant opportunities for the MSME sector.

Talking to reporters later at Guwahati, the CM said MoUs for investment worth Rs 8,201 crore have been signed since May this year.

Agreements for investment of Rs 3000-4000 crore will also be signed soon and proposals worth approximately Rs 10,000 crore are under consideration, he said. Sarma said the new proposals have envisaged interest in investment in 'unique sectors'. For instance, there is interest in investment in bamboo-made fencing along national highways, he said. Investment in IT and semi-conductor sectors will be the next big thing in the state, he claimed.