Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, inaugurated a portal on Friday to initiate the application submission for the Mukhya Mantri Atmanirbhar Asom at an event held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.
During the event, Chief Minister Sarma announced the launch of the Chief Minister's Atmanirbhar Assam Abhiyan on 23rd September 2023. The initiative aims to generate self-employment opportunities and foster self-reliance among the youth of Assam.
He announced that as a part of the Abhiyan, there will be initiatives to support 200,000 young individuals in starting their own businesses. Qualified participants will receive a sum of Rs. 2 lakh in two parts, consisting of government aid and interest-free loans, to establish small businesses or service ventures.
The Chief Minister announced that the program aims to reach two hundred thousand qualified recipients within the next two years. He explained that each of these two hundred thousand individuals will receive Rs. 2 lakh, with Rs. 1 lakh provided as a government subsidy and the remaining Rs. 1 lakh to be repaid after five years of business operations without incurring any interest.
Chief Minister Sarma stated that the initiative was introduced to financially empower the youth and qualify them for additional loans from the federal government. He mentioned that the scheme's web portal has currently recorded 229,145 beneficiaries.
He also stated that 1591 young people with professional qualifications will be eligible for a loan of Rs. 5 lakh under the program, with 50% being a government subsidy and the other 50% being an interest-free loan.
Chief Minister Sarma also mentioned that the State has already experienced a strong industrial environment.
He also stated that over the past few years, the current State government has signed MoUs totaling Rs. 10,000 crore with various business ventures. He mentioned that following productive negotiations with the Assam government, Tata Electronics Pvt. Limited is in the process of establishing a plant in Jagiroad for assembling and packaging semiconductors, requiring an investment of Rs. 40,000 crore.
The plant will need educated and skilled workers, as the government has made a comprehensive agreement with Tata Group to educate and train the state's youth, stated CM Sarma.
During the event, Chief Minister Sarma observed a display by 14 startup units.
The welcome address to the program was delivered by Ravi Kota, the Additional Chief Secretary to Industries and Commerce, and also by Bimal Bora, the Industries and Commerce Minister.
Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, PHE Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, Revenue Minister Jogen Mohan, MLA Naba Doley, Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, and other high-ranking government officials attended the event.
