Namrup (Assam), Dec 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the ammonia-urea fertiliser project at Namrup in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, which will be set up with an investment of Rs 11,000 crore. Addressing a massive gathering on the occasion here, PM Modi highlighted that the modern fertiliser unit being set up at Namrup will generate thousands of new opportunities for employment and self-employment in the region. The fertiliser project will produce more than 12 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser annually, which will enable faster supply to local farmers and reduce logistics costs, he explained. Stating that today is a historic day for Assam and the entire North East, PM Modi remarked that the long-awaited dream of Namrup and Dibrugarh has been fulfilled, as a new chapter of industrial progress begins in the region with the laying of the foundation stone for the project of Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited.

The Prime Minister performed the bhoomi pujan of the Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Plant and, before arriving in Dibrugarh, inaugurated the new terminal at Guwahati Airport. The Prime Minister emphasised that what is being witnessed today is only the beginning, and Assam must be taken much further ahead. He underlined the start of new industries, the building of modern infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, new opportunities in agriculture, the advancement of tea gardens and their workers, and the growing potential in tourism, affirming that Assam is progressing in every sector. He remarked that under their governments at the Centre and state, the synergy of industry and connectivity is fulfilling Assam’s dreams and inspiring the youth to dream bigger.

Emphasising that in building a developed India, the nation’s farmers and annadatas have a crucial role, the PM stated that the government is working with farmers’ interests as the top priority and that farmer-friendly schemes are being extended to all. He highlighted that, alongside agricultural welfare initiatives, it is essential to ensure a continuous supply of fertilisers to farmers. PM Modi remarked that in the coming time, the new urea plant will guarantee this supply.

He said that several fertiliser units at the Namrup plant were shut down by the earlier government as the machinery became outdated. This adversely impacted the supply of fertiliser to farmers of the Northeast, leading to a decline in crop yields and earnings. The Prime Minister asserted that today, the BJP governments at the Centre and State are resolving the problems created by the previous ruling dispensations.

The Prime Minister further stated that just like in Assam, fertiliser factories in many other states had also shut down. He recalled the difficult conditions farmers faced at that time, when they had to stand in long queues for urea, police had to be deployed at shops, and farmers were subjected to lathi charges.

He highlighted that during the previous ruling dispensation era fertilizer factories were closing, whereas the current government has started several plants in Gorakhpur, Sindri, Barauni, and Ramagundam. He added that the private sector is also being encouraged in this field. As a result of these efforts, India is moving towards self-reliance in the area of urea, the Prime Minister said. “In 2014, the country produced only 225 lakh metric tonnes of urea, whereas today production has reached nearly 306 lakh metric tonnes,” he remarked.