Guwahati: A political row has erupted in Assam following the Union Cabinet’s approval of a new urea plant in Namrup, with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of repeatedly misleading the people of the state. Gogoi claims that similar announcements regarding the establishment of a urea plant within the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Ltd (BVFCL) premises have been made in 2015 and 2017.
Gogoi, utilizing his social media platform, X, highlighted that in 2015, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had sanctioned the development of a new brownfield Ammonia-Urea complex, designated as Namrup Unit IV. Further, he stated that in 2017, the central government had publicly allocated Rs 7200 crore for the same project, Namrup Unit 4.
The Congress MP pointed out the recent cabinet decision, stating, “Now in 2025, in a cabinet meeting PM Modi has repeated his 2015 decision to approve the proposal for setting up of a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation and has upped the amount to Rs 10,601 crore.” Gogoi questioned the consistency of these announcements, suggesting that the BJP might be misleading the Assamese populace.
Gogoi has called upon Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to provide a clarification regarding the repeated announcements and the true status of the urea plant project. His statement comes after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, approved the establishment of a urea plant in Assam with an estimated cost of Rs 10,601.4 crore. The project aims to reduce India’s reliance on urea imports and achieve self-sufficiency in this essential crop nutrient.
Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the cabinet’s decision, stating that the approved proposal involves setting up a brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex with an annual production capacity of 12.7 lakh tonnes of urea within the existing BVFCL premises in Namrup, Assam. The plant will be developed through a Joint Venture (JV) with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30, and at an estimated total project cost of Rs 10,601.40 crore.
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