Congress MP and Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, expressed critical concerns about the effectiveness of Assam’s industrial growth initiatives during the Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment & Infrastructure Summit 2025.
Despite the summit’s MSME & ODOP session highlighting efforts to boost Assam’s industrial sector, Gogoi questioned the actual impact of such initiatives.
Gogoi pointed out that the first edition of Advantage Assam in 2018 had promised industrial growth, but nearly 200,000 MSME units have shut down over the past five years, according to government records.
He criticized the state government’s commitment to preventing further closures, emphasizing the increase in job losses due to the decline of local enterprises.
The Congress leader also alleged that the state government has neglected the Tea Tribe communities, failing to provide adequate political and developmental support.
He cited the poor conditions at the Cinnamara Tea Estate, including a lack of drinking water facilities, and expressed concerns about the future prospects of students from the tea garden community who miss their matriculation exams due to participation in events like Jhumoir Binandini.