Despite industries availing incentives worth crores, are they making an impact?

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in the state is benefiting from different kinds of loans and government subsidies worth crores of rupees. In contrast to this, the question arises as to whether this sector is contributing to a robust industrial scenario in the state and making an impact on job creation and entrepreneurship. These aspects require proper monitoring.

According to official data, Assam has around 13 lakh registered MSMEs. In the past four years, Rs 90,000 crores worth of credit has been disbursed to them from banks and through government-supported schemes. In 2020, the total number of registered MSMEs in the state was 9,371, which jumped to 12.75 lakh in 2025. The data claimed that these MSMEs generated approximately 82 lakh jobs. Of the approximately 13 lakh MSMEs, 2.94 lakh operate in the manufacturing sector, while 6.74 lakh are engaged in the service sector. The question now arises: if so many MSMEs are really operating in the state, there should have been major changes in the economic scenario and entrepreneurship development at the grassroots level. Despite the sector receiving credit worth Rs 90,000 crore, it needs to be ascertained how many industrial units are actually operating on the ground.

Under the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIP) of 2007 and 2017, industries set up in Assam availed of subsidies worth thousands of crores. These industries availed of Rs 1,746 crore as the central capital investment subsidy, Rs 208 crore as central interest subsidy on working capital, and Rs 119 crore as central comprehensive insurance subsidy. On the other hand, Rs 79 crore was disbursed to the industries as GST reimbursement and Rs 54 crore as income tax reimbursement. Apart from these, there are 70 coke industries in the state, out of which 24 units got Rs 37.65 crore as a transport subsidy in the past three financial years.

Big industries, like the chip-manufacturing plant at Jagiroad, have started setting up base in the state. At the time of Advantage Assam 2.0, around 70 MoUs worth Rs 1.20 lakh crore were signed; many of these are now under implementation at different stages. These industries are easily visible, but the people should also know how the 13 lakh MSMEs are operating in the state, as it is still very much in people's minds that, during the tenure of the earlier government, many industries came to Assam only to avail of transport and other subsidies, in addition to other government incentives.

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