PM boosts green energy, inaugurates Rs 5,000-cr bio-ethanol plant in Numaligarh

Guwahati, Sept 14: After much anticipation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, inaugurated a Rs 5,000-crore bamboo-based ethanol plant at Numaligarh in Assam’s Golaghat district, marking a major step toward boosting green energy and rural livelihoods.

Alongside the inauguration, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Rs 7,230-crore Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit at the Numaligarh Refinery.

“Today is a historic day for Assam, as projects worth Rs 18,000 crore have been unveiled. These efforts will pave the way for a viksit Assam,” Modi said, highlighting the state’s role as a vital energy hub for India.

The ethanol plant, he noted, will directly benefit farmers, particularly bamboo cultivators and tribal families, with an annual bamboo procurement worth Rs 200 crore. The project is expected to generate nearly 75,000 man-days of employment annually.

“This plant will support industries, accelerate development, and create new opportunities for the people of Assam,” Modi said, adding that the initiative strengthens India’s green energy capabilities.

He also announced the launch of the National Deep Water Exploration Mission, aimed at tapping oil and gas reserves in the country’s oceans, while simultaneously pushing for renewable energy development.

“Experts believe our oceans hold vast reserves of oil and gas. To explore these resources, we are launching the National Deep Water Exploration Mission. The nation is taking every step for green energy,” said the Prime Minister.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid foundation stones for healthcare and infrastructure projects worth Rs 6,300 crore at Mangaldoi in Darrang district.

These include the upcoming Darrang Medical College and Hospital, a nursing college, and a GNM school, with a combined investment of Rs 570 crore.

He also launched two key connectivity projects: the 2.9 km-long Narengi–Kuruwa bridge, estimated at Rs 1,200 crore, and the ambitious 118.5 km-long Guwahati Ring Road project spanning Kamrup and Darrang districts in Assam and Ri Bhoi in Meghalaya, with a cost of Rs 4,530 crore.