Assam is a gateway to the North-Eastern part of India. It
lies between 24 degree to 28 degree North latitude and 90 degree to 96
degree East longitude. It has a total land area of 78,438 sq km. It is
bounded by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh on the North; Manipur, Nagaland
and Arunachal Pradesh on the East; and Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram
on the South. It is endowed with rich, green land of rolling plains, fertile
valleys and dense forests. It is famous worldwide for one horned rhinoceros
and other rare species of wildlife.
Being the land of eternal blue hills and beautiful rivers,
the State is renowned for its rich flora and fauna. It is endowed with
abundant fertile land and water resources. It is the largest economy in
the North-East and is known for its large industries in the tea and petroleum
sectors. Assam tea commands a significant share in the world tea market.
The State acts as a source of several raw materials for both agricultural
and industrial development and thus it provides a large domestic market
for the North Eastern region. Guwahati, the capital of Assam is the hub
of all commercial and trade activities. Besides, Assam has one of the
largest network of higher education in the entire North East.
Assam has the unique locational advantage of being situated
close to South East Asian countries. It provides a strategic base for
foreign and domestic investors to tap the vast potential of contiguous
markets of Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia,
etc. Besides, Assam's proximity to the countries like Bangladesh, Nepal
and Bhutan attracts more and more foreign investors into the State. Assam's
internal waterway network, connecting the State to Bangladesh, gives access
to the ports of Chittagong (Bangladesh), Kolkata and Haldia (West Bengal).
The other advantageous features of the State are:-
- Pro-active administrative set up;
- Simple and transparent procedures for investment;
- Skilled and educated labour force;
- Rich natural resource base;
- Diversified agricultural and industrial set up;
- Efficient transportation and communication network;
- Sound water and power supply;
- Rich varieties of flora, fauna and various horticultural
produce;
- Large consumer base; etc.
Given these opportunities, the Government of Assam has made
several efforts for attracting investment into the various sectors of
the economy. The investors can set up various industrial units by optimally
utilising the numerous resources as well as the incentives and schemes
available in the State.
