Assam is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur located in the city of Guwahati. Located south of the eastern Himalayas, Assam comprises the Brahmaputra and the Barak river valleys along with the Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar Hills with an area of 30,285 square miles (78,438 km²). Assam is surrounded by six of the other Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. These states are connected to the rest of India via a narrow strip in West Bengal called the Siliguri Corridor or "Chicken's Neck". Assam also shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh; and cultures, peoples and climate with South-East Asia - important elements in India’s Look East policy.
Assam became a part of India after the British occupied the region following the Treaty of Yandaboo of 1826. It is known for Assam tea, large and old petroleum resources, Assam silk and for its rich biodiversity. Assam has successfully conserved the one-horned Indian rhinoceros from near extinction, along with the tiger and numerous species of birds, and it provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. It is becoming an increasingly popular destination for wild-life tourism, and Kaziranga and Manas are both World Heritage Sites. Assam was also known for its Sal tree forests and forest products, much depleted now. A land of high rainfall, Assam is endowed with lush greenery and the mighty river Brahmaputra, whose tributaries and oxbow lakes provide the region with a unique hydro-geomorphic and aesthetic environment.
Assam was known as Pragjyotisha in the Mahabharata; and Kamarupa in the 1st millennium. Assam gets it name from the Ahom kingdom (1228-1826), then known as Kingdom of Assam. The British province after 1838 and the Indian state after 1947 came to be known as Assam.
On February 27, 2006 the Government of Assam started a process to change the name of the state to Asom, a controversial move that has been opposed by the people and political organizations.
Physical geography :
Geomorphic studies conclude that the Brahmaputra, the life-line of Assam is a paleo-river; older than the Himalayas. The river with steep gorges and rapids in Arunachal Pradesh entering Assam, becomes a braided river (at times 10 mi/16 km wide) and with tributaries, creates a flood plain (Brahmaputra Valley: 50-60 mi/80–100 km wide, 600 mi/1000 km long). The hills of Karbi Anglong, North Cachar and those in and close to Guwahati (also Khasi-Garo Hills) now eroded and dissected are originally parts of the South Indian Plateau system.In the south, the Barak originating in the Barail Range (Assam-Nagaland border), flows through the Cachar district with a 25–30 miles (40–50 km) wide valley and enters Bangladesh with the name Surma.
Assam is endowed with petroleum, natural gas, coal, limestone and other minor minerals such as magnetic quartzite, kaolin, sillimanites, clay and feldspar. A small quantity of iron ore is available in western districts. Discovered in 1889, all the major petroleum-gas reserves are in Upper parts. A recent USGS estimate shows 399 million barrels (63,400,000 m3) of oil, 1,178 billion cubic feet (3.34×1010 m3) of gas and 67 million barrels (10,700,000 m3) of natural gas liquids in the Assam Geologic Province.
With the “Tropical Monsoon Rainforest Climate”, Assam is temperate (summer max. at 95-100°F or 35-38°C and winter min. at 43-46 °F or 6-8 °C) and experiences heavy rainfall and high humidity. The climate is characterised by heavy monsoon downpours reducing summer temperatures and affecting foggy nights and mornings in winters. Thunderstorms known as Bordoicila are frequent during the afternoons. Spring (Mar-Apr) and Autumn (Sept-Oct) are usually pleasant with moderate rainfall and temperature.
Assam is one of the richest biodiversity zones in the world and consists of tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, riverine grasslands, bamboo orchards and numerous wetland ecosystems; Many are now protected as national parks and reserved forests. The Kaziranga, home of the rare Indian Rhinoceros, and Manas are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Assam. The state is the last refuge for numerous other endangered species such as the Golden Langur (Presbetis geei), White-winged Wood Duck or Deohanh (Cairina scutulata), Bengal Florican, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Pygmy Hog, Greater Adjutant and so on. Some other endangered species with significant population in Assam are the Tiger, Elephant, Hoolock Gibbon, Jerdon's Babbler and so on to name a few. Assam is also known for orchids.
The region is prone to natural disasters with annual floods and frequent mild earthquakes. Strong earthquakes are rare; three of which were recorded in 1869, 1897 (8.1 on the Richter scale); and in 1950 (8.6).
Pre-history :
Assam and adjoining regions have evidences of human settlements from all the periods of the Stone ages. The hills at the height of 1500–2000 feet (460 to 615 m) were popular habitats probably due to availability of exposed doleritic basalt useful for tool-making.
According to the Kalika Purana (c.17th-18th AD), written in Assam, the earliest ruler of Assam was Mahiranga followed by Hatak, Sambar, Ratna and Ghatak; Naraka removed this line of rulers and established his own dynasty. It mentions that the last of the Naraka-bhauma rulers, Narak, was slain by Krishna. Naraka's son Bhagadatta, mentioned in the Mahabharata, fought for the Kauravas in the battle of Kurushetra with an army of kiratas, chinas and dwellers of the eastern coast. Later rulers of Kamarupa frequently drew their lineage from the Naraka rulers. However, there are lots of evidences to say that Mahayana Buddhism was prominent in ancient Assam. After Huen Shang's visit Mahayana Buddhism came to Assam. Relics of Tezpur, Malini Than, Kamakhya and Madan Kam Dev Temple are the evidences of Mahayana Buddhism.
Ancient and medieval :
Ancient Assam, known as Kamarupa was ruled by powerful dynasties: the Varmanas (c.350-650 A.D.), the Salstambhas (Xalostombho, c.655-900 A.D.) and the Kamarupa-Palas (c.900-1100 A.D.). In the reign of the Varman king, Bhaskaravarman (c.600–650 A.D.), the Chinese traveler Xuan Zang visited the region and recorded his travels. Later, after weakening and disintegration (after the Kamarupa-Palas), the Kamarupa tradition was somewhat extended till c.1255 A.D. by the Lunar I (c.1120-1185 A.D.) and Lunar II (c.1155-1255 A.D.) dynasties.
Two later dynasties, the Ahoms and the Koch left larger impacts. The Ahoms, a Tai group, ruled Assam for nearly 600 years (1228–1826 A.D.) and the Koch, a Tibeto-Burmese, established sovereignty in c.1510 A.D. The Koch kingdom in western Assam and present North Bengal was at its zenith in the early reign of Naranarayana (c.1540-1587 A.D.). It split into two in c.1581 A.D., the western part as a Moghul vassal and the eastern as an Ahom satellite state. Since c.13th A.D., the nerve centre of Ahom polity was upper Assam; the kingdom was gradually extended till Karatoya river in the c.17th-18th A.D. It was at its zenith during the reign of Sukhrungpha or Sworgodeu Rudra Simha (c.1696-1714 A.D.). Among other dynasties, the Chutiyas ruled north-eastern Assam and parts of present Arunachal Pradesh and the Kacharis ruled from Dikhow river to central and southern Assam. With expansion of Ahom kingdom, by c.1520 A.D. the Chutiya areas were annexed and since c.1536 A.D. Kacharis remained only in Cachar and North Cachar more as an Ahom ally then a competing force. Despite numerous invasions, mostly by the Muslim rulers, no western power ruled Assam until the arrival of the British. The most successful invader Mir Jumla, a governor of Aurangzeb, briefly occupied Garhgaon (c.1662–63 A.D.), the then capital, but found it difficult to control people making guerrilla attacks on his forces, forcing them to leave. The decisive victory of the Assamese led by the great general Lachit Borphukan on the Mughals, then under command of Raja Ram Singha at Saraighat (1671) had almost ended Mughal ambitions in this region. Mughals were finally expelled in c.1682 A.D. from lower Assam.
British Assam :
Ahom palace intrigue and political turmoil due to the Moamoria rebellion aided the expansionist Burmese ruler of Ava to invade Assam and install a puppet king in 1821. With the Burmese having reached the East India Company’s borders, the First Anglo-Burmese War ensued. The war ended under the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, with the Company taking control of Lower Assam and installing Purander Singh as king of Upper Assam in 1833. The arrangement lasted till 1838 and thereafter the British gradually annexed the entire region. Initially Assam was made a part of the Bengal Presidency, then in 1906 it was a part of Eastern Bengal and Assam province, and in 1912 it was reconstituted into a Chief Commissioners' province. In 1913, a Legislative Council and in 1937 the Assam Legislative Assembly was formed in Shillong, the erstwhile capital of the region. The British tea planters imported labour from central India adding to the demographic canvas. After few initial unsuccessful attempts to free Assam during the 1850s, the Assamese since early 20th century joined and actively supported the Indian National Congress against the British. In 1947, Assam including the present Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya became a state of the Union of India (princely states, Manipur and Tripura became Group C provinces) and a district of Assam, Sylhet chose to join Pakistan.
Post British :
Since 1947, with increasing economic problems in the region, separatist groups began forming along ethnic lines, and demands for autonomy and sovereignty grew, resulting into fragmentation of Assam.
Since the mid-20th century, people from present Bangladesh have been migrating to Assam. In 1961, the Government of Assam passed a legislation making use of Assamese language compulsory. It had to be withdrawn later under pressure from Bengali speaking people in Cachar. In the 1980s the Brahmaputra valley saw a six-year Assam Agitation triggered by the discovery of a sudden rise in registered voters on electoral rolls. It tried to force the government to identify and deport foreigners illegally migrating from neighbouring Bangladesh and changing the demographics. The agitation ended after an accord between its leaders and the Union Government, which remained unimplemented, causing simmering discontent.
The post 1970s experienced the growth of armed separatist groups like United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). In November 1990, the Government of India deployed the Indian army, after which low-intensity military conflicts and political homicides have been continuing for more than a decade. In recent times, ethnicity based militant groups (UPDS, DHD, KLO, HPCD etc.) have also mushroomed. Regional autonomy has been ensured for Bodos in Bodoland Territorial Council Areas (BTCA) and for the Karbis in Karbi Anglong after agitation of the communities due to sluggish rate of development and aspirations for self-government.
Tea history :
After discovery of Camellia sinensis (1834) in Assam followed by its tests in 1836-37 in London, the British allowed companies to rent land since 1839. Thereafter tea plantations mushroomed in Upper Assam, where the soil and the climate were most suitable. Problems with the imported labourers from China and hostilities of native Assamese resulted into migration of forced labourers from central-eastern parts of India. After initial trial and error with planting the Chinese and the Assamese-Chinese hybrid varieties, the planters later accepted the local Camellia assamica as the most suitable one for Assam. By 1850s, the industry started seeing some profits. Industry saw initial growth, when in 1861, investors were allowed to own land in Assam and it saw substantial progress with invention of new technologies and machinery for preparing processed tea during 1870s. The cost of Assam tea was lowered down manifold and became more competitive than its Chinese variant.
Despite the commercial success, tea labourers continued to be exploited, working and living under poor conditions. Fearful of greater government interference, the tea growers formed The Indian Tea Association in 1888 to lobby to retain the status quo. The organization was very successful in this, and even after India’s independence conditions of the labourers have improved very little.
Subdivisions :
After discovery of Camellia sinensis (1834) in Assam followed by its tests in 1836-37 in London, the British allowed companies to rent land since 1839. Thereafter tea plantations mushroomed in Upper Assam, where the soil and the climate were most suitable. Problems with the imported labourers from China and hostilities of native Assamese resulted into migration of forced labourers from central-eastern parts of India. After initial trial and error with planting the Chinese and the Assamese-Chinese hybrid varieties, the planters later accepted the local Camellia assamica as the most suitable one for Assam. By 1850s, the industry started seeing some profits. Industry saw initial growth, when in 1861, investors were allowed to own land in Assam and it saw substantial progress with invention of new technologies and machinery for preparing processed tea during 1870s. The cost of Assam tea was lowered down manifold and became more competitive than its Chinese variant.
Despite the commercial success, tea labourers continued to be exploited, working and living under poor conditions. Fearful of greater government interference, the tea growers formed The Indian Tea Association in 1888 to lobby to retain the status quo. The organization was very successful in this, and even after India’s independence conditions of the labourers have improved very little.
2) Districts of Assam :
Since 2001, four new districts have been created: Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Kamrup (Metropolitan); and Kamrup has been renamed Kamrup (rural).
Assam is divided into 27 administrative districts More than half of these districts were carved out during 80s and 90s from original 1. Lakhimpur, 2. Jorhat, 3. Karbi Anglong, 4. Darrang, 5. Nagaon, 6. Kamrup, 7. Goalpara, 8. North Cachar and 9. Cachar districts, delineated by the British. Earlier, during 70s, Dibrugarh was separated out from original Lakhimpur district.
These districts are further sub-divided into 49 “Sub-divisions” or Mohkuma. Every district is administered from a district head quarter with the office of the District Collector, District Magistrate, Office of the District Panchayat and usually with a district court.
The districts are delineated on the basis of the features such as the rivers, hills, forests, etc and majority of the newly constituted districts are sub-divisions of the earlier districts. For the present districts of Assam and their location, refer the attached map.
The local governance system is organised under the jila-parishad (District Panchayat) for a district, panchayat for group of or individual rural areas and under the urban local bodies for the towns and cities. Presently there are 2489 village panchayats covering 26247 villages in Assam. The 'town-committee' or nagar-xomiti for small towns, 'municipal board' or pouro-xobha for medium towns and municipal corporation or pouro-nigom for the cities consist of the urban local bodies.
For the revenue purposes, the districts are divided into revenue circles and mouzas; for the development projects, the districts are divided into 219 'development-blocks' and for law and order these are divided into 206 police stations or thana.
Demographics :
District-wise Demographic Characteristics in 2001
Total population of Assam was 26.66 million with 4.91 million households in 2001. Higher population concentration was recorded in the districts of Kamrup, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Dhubri, Darang and Cachar. Assam's population was estimated at 28.67 million in 2006 and at 30.57 million by 2011, 34.18 million by 2021 and 35.60 million by 2026.
In 2001, the census recorded literacy in Assam at 63.30 percent with male literacy at 71.30 and female at 54.60 percents. Urbanisation rate was recorded at 12.90 percent.
Growth of population in Assam has experienced a very high trajectory since the mid-decades of the 20th century. Population grew steadily from 3.29 million in 1901 to 6.70 million in 1941, while it has increased unprecedentedly to 14.63 million in 1971 and 22.41 million in 1991 to reach the present level. The growth in the western and southern districts was of extreme high in nature mostly attributable to rapid influx of population from the then East Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Assam has many ethnic groups and the People of India project has studied 115 of these. Out of which 79 (69%) identify themselves regionally, 22 (19%) locally, and 3 trans-nationally. The earliest settlers were Austroasiatic, followed by Tibeto-Burman, Indo-Aryan speakers, and Kradai speakers. Forty-five languages are spoken by different communities, including three major language families: Austroasiatic (5), Sino-Tibetan (24) and Indo-European (12). Three of the spoken languages do not fall in these families. There is a high degree of bilingualism.
Religions :
Major religions are Hinduism (64.9%) and Islam (30.9%). Others include Christianity (3.7%), Sikhism, Animism, Buddhism (Khamti, Phake, Aiton etc. communities).
Hinduism
The Hindus of Assam perform several dances to practice their devotion to their Gods. One category of them is the Sattriya Dances.
Kamakhya, dedicated to Goddess Durga is the eastern-most pilgrimage of Hinduism.
Popular forms of God in Assam are Durga, Shiva, Krishna and Narayana, although several tribes practice devotion to local deities as well.
Islam
Muslims constitute the second largest religious group in Assam. Muslims make up 30.92% of the population, a percentage second only to Jammu & Kashmir amongst the Indian states.
Brahmo Samaj
Assam is the home of Kalicharan Mech, a Bodo Hindu who stopped the British Christian missionaries, spread ahimsa and vegetarianism. He was deeply influenced by the Brahmo Samaj. He later became known as "Gurudev Kalicharan Brahmachari" or "Guru Brahma". His principles were established as the Brahma Dharma. Perhaps his teachings can be summarized by his given phrase, "Chandrama Surya Narayans Jyoti", meaning, "the light (jyoti) from the sun is capable from dispelling darkness and taking people to Brahma (Narayans)."
From the teachings of Guru Brahma, the "Bodo-Brahmas" (the Bodos of this sect) have boycotted alcohol and heavy dowry as well as meat-eating.
This sect is written by scholars to be Vedic and Upanishadic. As per Vedic rituals, the priests perform Horn Yajna, which was begun by Guru Brahma to organize the Bodos.
While the Bodo Christians today are laying stress on adopting a Roman script for the Bodo community, the Bodo-Brahmas prefer the traditional Bengali-Ahomi script.
Christianity
The translation of the Bible into Assamese in 1819. In 1827 an attempt was made to start a baptist Church in Guwahati, but it made no permanent converts in the area. Later the American Baptist Foriegn Missionary Society was able to make some headway in Guwahati. Although these earliest Christian missionary endevros were focused in the north-east of India were in Modern Assam, the great success of Protestant missionaries in North-East India in the late 19th and the 20th Centuries was primarily in areas such as Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya which are not today part of Assam.
As of 1991 only Tripura of the seven eastern states of India had a lower percentage of Christians than Assam. The 3.32% Christians in Assam was well below even Arunchal Pradesh's 10% Christians. Despite this there were more Christians in Assam than in Mizoram even though Mizoram was the second most Christian state in India at the time.
Besides the protestants there are also Catholics. There is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Shillong.
3) Culture :
Development of Hybrid Culture in Assam: Assamese culture developed due to assimilation of ethno-cultural groups under various politico-economic systems in different time. The roots go back to three thousand years when the first assimilation took place between the Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman cultures. Thereafter, western migrations such as those of various branches of Mediterraneans, Indo-scythians /Irano-scythians and Nordics along with the people from northern Indian states such as Magadha have enriched the aboriginal culture and under stronger politico-economic systems, Sanskritisation and Hinduisation intensified. Migration and assimilation of Tai people in the past millennium provided another dimension to its hybridity.
Assamese culture is traditionally a hybrid one developed due to assimilation of ethno-cultural groups in the past. Therefore, both local elements or the local elements in Sanskritised forms are distinctly found. The major milestones in evolution of Assamese culture are:
• Assimilation in the Kamarupa Kingdom for almost 700 years (under the Varmans for 300 years, Salastambhas and Palas for each 200 years).
• Establishment of the Ahom dynasty in the 13th century AD and assimilation for next 600 years.
• Assimilation in the Koch Kingdom (15th-16th century AD) of western Assam and Kachari Kingdom (12th-18th century AD) of central and southern Assam.
• Vaishnava Movement led by Srimanta Sankardeva (Xonkordeu) and its contribution and cultural changes.
With rich traditions, the modern culture is greatly influenced by events in the British and the Post-British Era. The language was standardised by the American Baptist Missionaries such as Nathan Brown, Dr. Miles Bronson and local pundits such as Hemchandra Barua with the form available in the Sibsagar (Xiwoxagor) District (the ex-nerve centre of the Ahom Kingdom). A renewed Sanskritisation was increasingly adopted for developing Assamese language and grammar. A new wave of Western and northern Indian influence was apparent in the performing arts and literature.
Increasing efforts of standardisation in the 20th century alienated the localised forms present in different areas and with the less-assimilated ethno-cultural groups (many source-cultures). However, Assamese culture in its hybrid form and nature is one of the richest, still developing and in true sense is a 'cultural system' with sub-systems. It is interesting that many source-cultures of Assamese cultural-system are still surviving either as sub-systems or as sister entities, for e.g. Bodo or Khasi or Mishing. Today it is important to keep the broader system closer to its roots and at the same time to focus on development of the sub-systems.
Some of the common and unique cultural traits in the region are peoples' respect towards areca-nut and betel leaves, symbolic clothes (Gamosa, Arnai, etc), traditional silk garments and towards forefathers and elderly. Moreover, great hospitality and Bamboo culture are common.
Symbolism :
Symbolism is an ancient cultural practice in Assam and is still a very important part of Assamese way of life. Various elements are being used to represent beliefs, feelings, pride, identity, etc. Tamulpan, Xorai and Gamosa are three important symbolic elements in Assamese culture. Tamulpan (the areca nut and betel leaves) or guapan (gua from kwa) are considered along with the Gamosa (a typical woven cotton or silk cloth with embroidery) as the offers of devotion, respect and friendship. The Tamulpan-tradition is an ancient one and is being followed since time-immemorial with roots in the aboriginal Austro-Asiatic culture. Xorai is a traditionally manufactured bell-metal article of great respect and is used as a container-medium while performing respectful offers. Moreover, symbolically many ethno-cultural groups use specific clothes to portray respect and pride.
There were many other symbolic elements and designs, but are now only found in literature, art, sculpture, architecture, etc or in use today for only religious purposes. The typical designs of assamese-lion, dragon, flying-lion, etc were used for symbolising various purposes and occasions. The archaeological sites such as the Madan Kamdev (c. 9th-10th A.D.) exhibits mass-scale use of lions, dragon-lions and many other figures of demons to show case power and prosperity. The Vaishnava monasteries and many other architectural sites of late medieval period also showcase use of lions and dragons for symbolic effects.
Languages :
Assamese and Bodo are the major indigenous and official languages while Bengali holds official status in the three districts in the Barak Valley and is the second most spoken language of the state (24%).
Traditionally Assamese was the language of the commons (of mixed origin - Austroasiatic, Tibeto-Burman, Magadhan Prakrit) in the ancient Kamarupa and in the medieval kingdoms of Kamatapur, Kachari, Cuteeya, Borahi, Ahom and Koch. Traces of the language is found in many poems by Luipa, Sarahapa, etc in Charyapada (c.7th-8th AD). Modern dialects Kamrupi, Goalpariya, etc are the remnant of this language. Moreover, Assamese in its traditional form was used by the ethno-cultural groups in the region as lingua-franca, which spread during the stronger kingdoms and was required for needed economic integration. Localised forms of the language still exist in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh. The form used in the upper Assam was enriched by the advent of Tai-Shans in the 13th century.
Linguistically modern Assamese traces its roots to the version developed by the American Missionaries based on the local form in practice near Sibsagar (Xiwoxagor) district. Assamese (Oxomeeya) is a rich language due to its hybrid nature with its unique characteristics of pronunciation and softness. Assamese literature is one of the richest.
Bodo is an ancient language of Assam. Spatial distribution patterns of the ethno-cultural groups, cultural traits and the phenomenon of naming all the major rivers in the North East Region with Bodo-Kachari words (e.g. Dihing, Dibru, Dihong, D/Tista, Dikrai, etc) reveal that it was the most important language in the ancient times. Bodo is presently spoken largely in the Lower Assam (Bodo Territorial Council area). After years of neglect, now Bodo language is getting attention and its literature is developing. Other native languages of Tibeto-Burman origin and related to Bodo-Kachari are Mishing, Karbi, Dimaca, Rabha, Tiwa, etc. Rajbongshi also known as kamatapuri/Goalpariya is also widely spoken by the people of western assam. Nepali is also spoken in almost all parts of the state.
There are smaller groups of people speaking Tai-Phake, Tai-Aiton, Tai-Khamti, Tai-Khamyang etc., some of the Tai languages. The Tai-Ahom language (brought by Sukaphaa and his followers), which is no more a spoken language today is getting attentions for research after centuries long care and preservation by the Bailungs (traditional priests). There are also small groups of people speaking Manipuri,Khasi, Garo, Hmar, Kuki, etc in different parts.
Bengali is the official language in Barak Valley, although the widely spoken language is Sylheti, a dialect of Bengali. Bengali is also largely spoken in the western districts of Dhubri, Barpeta, and Goalpara.
Bishnupriya Manipuri language is also spoken by a small minority of people in Barak Valley.
Festivals :
There are several important traditional festivals in Assam. Bihu is the most important and common and celebrated all over Assam. Durga Puja is another festival celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Bihu is a series of three prominent festivals. Primarily a non-religious festival celebrated to mark the seasons and the significant points of a cultivator's life over a yearly cycle. Three Bihus, rongali or bohag, celebrated with the coming of spring and the beginning of the sowing season; kongali or kati, the barren bihu when the fields are lush but the barns are empty; and the bhogali or magh, the thanksgiving when the crops have been harvested and the barns are full. Bihu songs and Bihu dance are associated to rongali bihu. The day before the each bihu is known as 'uruka'. The first day of 'rongali bihu' is called 'Goru bihu' (the bihu of the cows), when the cows are taken to the nearby rivers or ponds to be bathed with special care. In recent times the form and nature of celebration has changed with the growth of urban centres.
Moreover, there are other important traditional festivals being celebrated every year for different occasions at different places. Many of these are celebrated by different ethno-cultural groups (sub and sister cultures). Few of these are:
• Me-dam-me-phi
• Ali-Aye-Ligang
• Kherai
• Garja
• Hapsa Hatarnai
• Awnkham Gwrlwi Janai
• Chojun/Swarak
• Rongker
• Sokk-erroi
• Hacha-kekan
• Porag
Performing arts :
Assam has rich tradition of performing arts. Ankiya Nat (Onkeeya Naat) is a traditional Vaishnav dance-drama (bhaona) form popular since 15th century A.D. It makes use of large masks of gods, goddesses, demons and animals and in between the plays a Sutradhar (Xutrodhar) keeps on telling the story. The Bihu dance and Hucory performed during the Bohag Bihu, Kushan nritra of Rajbongshi's, Bagurumba and Bordoicikhla dance of Bodos, Mishing Bihu, Banjar Kekan performed during Chomangkan by Karbis are some of the major folk dances. Sattriya (Xotriya) dance related to Vaishnav tradition is a classical form of dance. Moreover, there are several other age-old dance-forms such as Barpeta’s Bhortal Nritya, Deodhoni Nritya, Oja Paali, Beula Dance, Ka Shad Inglong Kardom, Nimso Kerung, etc. The tradition of modern moving theatres is typical of Assam with immense popularity of many large theatre groups such as Kohinoor, Apsara, Hengul, etc.
At the same time musical tradition is also rich. Folk songs and music related to Bihu and other festivals dates back to time-immemorial. Borgeet, the popular Vaishnav songs are written and composed in 15th century. Assam has large numbers of traditional musical instruments including several types of drums, string instruments, flutes, cymbals, pipes, etc.
The indigenous folk music has substantially influenced the growth of a modern idiom, that finds expression in the music of such artists like Bhupen Hazarika, Anima Choudhury Nirmalendu Choudhury & Utpalendu Choudhury, Luit Konwar Rudra Baruah, Parvati Prasad Baruva, Jayanta Hazarika, Khagen Mahanta, "Ganashilpi" Dilip Sarma, Sudakshina Sarma among many others. Among the new generation, Zubeen Garg and Jitul Sonowal have a great fan following.
Traditional crafts :
Assam has a rich tradition of crafts; presently, Cane and bamboo craft, bell metal and brass craft, silk and cotton weaving, toy and mask making, pottery and terracotta work, wood craft, jewellery making, musical instruments making, etc remained as major traditions. Historically, Assam also excelled in making boats, traditional guns and gunpowder, ivory crafts, colours and paints, articles of lac, agarwood products, traditional building materials, utilities from iron, etc.
Cane and bamboo craft provide the most commonly used utilities in daily life, ranging from household utilities, weaving accessories, fishing accessories, furniture, musical instruments, construction materials, etc. Utilities and symbolic articles such as Xorai and Bota made from bell metal and brass are found in every Assamese household. Hajo and Sarthebari (Xorthebaary) are the most important centres of traditional bell-metal and brass crafts. Assam is the home of several types of silks, the most prestigious are: Muga - the natural golden silk, Pat - a creamy-bright-silver coloured silk and Eri - a variety used for manufacturing warm clothes for winter. Apart from Sualkuchi (Xualkuchi), the centre for the traditional silk industry, in almost every parts of the Brahmaputra Valley, rural households produce silk and silk garments with excellent embroidery designs. Moreover, various ethno-cultural groups in Assam make different types of cotton garments with unique embroidery designs and wonderful colour combinations.
Moreover, Assam possesses unique crafts of toy and mask making mostly concentrated in the Vaishnav Monasteries, pottery and terracotta work in lower Assam districts and wood craft, iron craft, jewellery, etc in many places across the region.
Fine arts :
The archaic Mauryan Stupas discovered in and around Goalpara district are the earliest examples (c. 300 BC to c. 100 AD) of ancient art and architectural works. The remains discovered in Daparvatiya (Doporboteeya) archaeological site with a beautiful doorframe in Tezpur are identified as the best examples of art works in ancient Assam with influence of Sarnath School of Art of the late Gupta period. Many other sites also exhibit development of local art forms with local motifs and sometimes with similarities with those in the Southeast Asia. There are currently more than forty discovered ancient archaeological sites across Assam with numerous sculptural and architectural remains. Moreover, there are examples of several Late-Middle Age art and architectural works including hundreds of sculptures and motifs along with many remaining temples, palaces and other buildings. The motifs available on the walls of the buildings such as Rang Ghar, Joydoul, etc are remarkable examples of art works.
Painting is an ancient tradition of Assam. Xuanzang (7th century AD) mentions that among the Kamarupa king Bhaskaravarma's gifts to Harshavardhana there were paintings and painted objects, some of which were on Assamese silk. Many of the manuscripts such as Hastividyarnava (A Treatise on Elephants), the Chitra Bhagawata and in the Gita Govinda from the Middle Ages bear excellent examples of traditional paintings. The medieval Assamese literature also refers to chitrakars and patuas.
There are several renowned contemporary artists in Assam. The Guwahati Art College in Guwahati is a government institution for tertiary education. Moreover, there are several art-societies and non-government initiatives across the state and the Guwahati Artists Guild is a front-runner organisation based in Guwahati.
Economy :
In the 1950s, per capita income in Assam was little higher than that in India. In 2000-01, in Assam it was INR 6,157 at constant prices (1993-94) and INR 10,198 at current prices; almost 40 percent lower than that in India. According to the recent estimates, per capita income in Assam has reached INR 6756 (1993-94 constant prices) in 2004-05, which is still much lower than India's.
Macro-economy :
Economy of Assam today represents a unique juxtaposition of backwardness amidst plenty. Despite its rich natural resources, and supplying of up to 25% of India's petroleum needs, growth rate of Assam’s income has not kept pace with that of India’s; differences increased rapidly since 1970s. Indian economy grew at 6 percent per annum over the period of 1981 to 2000, the same of Assam was only 3.3 percent. In the Sixth Plan period Assam experienced a negative growth rate of 3.78 percent when India's was positive at 6 percent. In the post-liberalised era (after 1991), the differences widened further.
According to recent analysis, Assam’s economy is showing signs of improvement. In 2001-02, the economy grew (at 1993-94 constant prices) at 4.5 percent, to fall to 3.4 percent in the next financial year. During 2003-04 and 2004–05, the economy grew (at 1993-94 constant prices) more satisfactorily at 5.5 and 5.3 percent respectively. The advanced estimates placed the growth rate for 2005-06 at above 6 percent. Assam's GDP in 2004 is estimated at $13 billion in current prices. Sectoral analysis again exhibits a dismal picture. The average annual growth rate of agriculture, which was only 2.6 percent per annum over 1980s has unfortunately fallen to 1.6 percent in the 1990s. Manufacturing sector has shown some improvement in the 1990s with a growth rate of 3.4 percent per annum than 2.4 percent in the 1980s. Since past five decades, the tertiary sector has registered the highest growth rates than the other sectors, which even has slowed down in the 1990s than in 1980s.
Agriculture :
Accounts for more than a third of Assam’s income and employs 69 percent of workforce. Assam's biggest contribution to the world is tea. It produces some of the finest and expensive teas and has its own variety Camellia assamica. Assam also accounts for fair share of India’s production of rice, rapeseed, mustard seed, jute, potato, sweet potato, banana, papaya, areca nut and turmeric. It is also a home of large varieties of citrus fruits, leaf vegetables, vegetables, useful grasses, herbs, spices, etc.
Assam’s agriculture yet to experience modernisation in real sense. With implications to food security, per capita food grain production has declined in past five decades. Productivity has increased marginally; but still lower comparing to highly productive regions. For instance, yield of rice (staple food of Assam) was just 1531 kg per hectare against India’s 1927 kg per hectare in 2000-01 (which itself is much lower than Egypt’s 9283, USA’s 7279, South Korea’s 6838, Japan’s 6635 and China’s 6131 kg per hectare in 2001). On the other hand, after having strong domestic demand, 1.5 million hectares of inland water bodies, numerous rivers and 165 varieties of fishes, fishing is still in its traditional form and production is not self-sufficient.
The Assam Agriculture University is located at Jorhat, Assam. It is the only agricultural university for the Seven Sisters.
Industry :
Apart from tea and petroleum refineries, Assam has few industries of significance. Industrial development is inhibited by its physical and political isolation from neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, China and Bangladesh and from other growing Southeast Asian economies; ultimately leading to neglect by the federal government in regards to development - a key motivation for separatist groups. The region is landlocked, situated in the eastern periphery of India and is linked to the mainland by a flood and cyclone prone narrow corridor, known as the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck, with weak transport infrastructure that have remained undeveloped since independence. The international airport in Guwahati is yet to find airlines providing direct international flights. The Brahmaputra suitable for navigation does not possess sufficient infrastructure for international trade and success of such a navigable trade route will be dependent on proper channel maintenance and diplomatic and trade relationships with Bangladesh.
Assam is a major producer of crude oil, exploited by the Assam Oil Company Ltd., and natural gas in India and is the second place in the world (after Titusville in the United States) where petroleum was discovered. Asia’s first successful mechanically drilled oil well was drilled in Makum (Assam) way back in 1867. Most of the oilfields are located in the Upper Assam region. Assam has four oil refineries located in Guwahati, Digboi, Golaghat (Numaligarh) and Bongaigaon with a total capacity of 7 Million metric tonnes (7.7 million short tons) per annum. Despite its richness in natural resources, the benefits have yet to improve the lives of the people of Assam.
Although having a poor overall industrial performance, several other industries have nevertheless been started, including a chemical fertiliser plan at Namrup, petrochemical industries at Namrup and Bongaigaon, paper mills at Jagiroad, Panchgram and Jogighopa, sugar mills at Barua Bamun Gaon, Chargola, Kampur, cement plant at Bokajan & Badarpur, cosmetics plant (HLL) at Doom Dooma, etc. Moreover, there are other industries such as jute mill, textile and yarn mills, silk mill, etc. Unfortunately many of these industries are facing loss and closer due to lack of infrastructure and improper management practices.
Education :
Cotton College in Guwahati initiated modern tertiary education and research in Assam and has been continuing classical and high-educational standards for more than hundred years; many of the buildings in the college are excellent examples of Assamese architecture with colonial flavours.
Assam has several institutions for tertiary education and research. The major institutions are:
• Gauhati University, Guwahati
• Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh
• Assam University, Silchar
• Tezpur University, Tezpur www.tezu.ac.in
• Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat
• Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
• National Institute of Technology, Silchar
• Assam Engineering College, Guwahati
• Jorhat Engineering College, Jorhat
• Central Institute of Technology, Bodoland Territorial Council, Kokrajhar-783370
• Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat
• Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati
• Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh
• Silchar Medical College, Silchar
Media :
Print Media
News Papers: The Times of India, Asomiya Pratidin, Asomiya Khabor, Amar Asom , Dainik Asom, Aajir Dainik Batori, Dainik Janasadharan, Dainik Janambhumi, Dainik Agradoot, Aji , The Telegraph, The Assam Tribune, The Sentinel, Samay Prabaha, Dainik Jugasankha, Samayik Prasanga, Sonar Cachar
Electronic Media
News Live, NE TV, DY 365, DD North-East
Regional Web Publishers
• The Bishnupriya Manipuri
Places :
Cities and towns
History of urban development goes back to almost two thousand years in the region. Existence of ancient urban areas such as Pragjyotishapura (Guwahati), Hatapesvara (Tezpur), Durjaya, etc and medieval towns such as Charaideu, Garhgaon, Rongpur, Jorhat, Khaspur, Guwahati, etc are well recorded.
Guwahati is the largest urban centre and a million plus city in Assam. The city has experienced multifold growth during past three decades to grow as the primate city in the region; the city's population was approximately 900,000 (considering GMDA area) during the census of 2001.Population-wise and area-wise Silchar is the second largest and important city in the state. It is the economic gateway to the state of Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura. The town of Silchar has tremendous commercial importance. It consequently, witnesses the settlement of a sizeable population of traders from distant parts of India. The other important urban areas are Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Golaghat, Tinsukia (Tinicukiya), Sibsagar (Xiwoxagor), Tezpur, Nagaon, Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, etc. Nalbari, Rangia, Mangaldoi, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Diphu, Dhubri (Dhubury), etc are other towns and district head quarters. On the other hand Duliajan, Digboi, Namrup, Moran, Bongaigaon, Numaligarh, Jogighopa Rangia, etc are major industrial towns. Currently, there are around 125 total urban centres in the state.
Destinations :
Assam has several attractive destinations; majority of these are National Parks, Wildlife and Bird Sanctuaries, areas with archaeological interests and areas with unique cultural heritage. Moreover, as a whole, the region is covered by beautiful natural landscapes.
• Kaziranga National Park
• Manas National Park
• Nameri National Park
• Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
• Orang National Park
• Joydihing Rainforest
• Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
• Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary
• Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary
• Burasapori Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bornodi Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sonai-rupai Wildlife Sanctuary
• Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
• Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary
• Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary
• Gibon Wildlife Sanctuary
• East Karbi-Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed)
• Karbi-Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary (Proposed)
• Podumani Bherjan Borajan Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bordoibum Beelmukh Bird Sanctuary (Proposed)
• Panidihing Bird Sanctuary
• Deepor Beel Bird Sanctuary
• Majuli
• Sualkuchi
• Sarthebari
• Digboi oil town
• Ledo and Stilwell Road
• Haflong and Jatinga
• Rangia (Rangiya)
• Umrangshu hotwater spring
• Guwahati archaeological region
• Hajo archaeological region
• Madan Kamdev
• Sibsagar archaeological region
• Charaideo
• Surya Pahar Goalpara archaeological region
• Tezpur archaeological region
• Kapili Valley archaeological region
• Dhansiri/Dhonxiri Valley archaeological region
• Maibong
• Bordua
• Chapanalla Waterfall(One and only waterfall in Assam)
2) ASSAM AT A GLANCE:
Establishment:
15th of August 1947
Legislature (seats):
Unicameral (126)
Capital:
Dispur
Largest city:
Guwahati
Districts:
27
Blocks :
219 (2001 census)
Panchayats :
2489 (2001 census)
Villages :
26312 (2001 census)
Official language(s):
Assamese, Bodo, Karbi
Geographical Data :
Density:
340/km²
Area:
78,438 km²
State Boundaries:
East : Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur West : West Bengal and Meghalaya
North : Arunachal Pradesh
South : Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura
International Boundary:
North : Bhutan
West : Bangladesh
Geographic Coordinates:
Latitude : 24° to 28° North
Longitude : 90° to 96° East
Time zone:
IST
Forest Cover:
35.48 %
Statistical Data :
Population (2001):
26,655,528
Literacy rate:
64.28% (2001 census)
Sex Ratio:
1000 : 965
National parks:
Kaziranga
Manas
Dibru
Saikhowa
Nameri
Orang
Wildlife Sanctuaries:
Pobitora
Sonai Rupai
Bura-Chapori
Laokhowa
Pobha or Milroy
Chakrashila
Bornadi
Garampani
Gibbon
Nambor
East Karbi Anglong
Karbi Anglong
Pani Dihing
Deeporbeel
Bordoibum Beelmukh
Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni
Morat Longri
Amchang
Refineries:
Digboi
Noonmati
Dhaligaon near Bongaigaon
Numaligarh
Universities :
Dibrugarh University at Dibrugarh
Gauhati University at Guwahati
Assam University at Silchar
Tezpur University at Tezpur
Assam Agricultural University at Jorhat
Engineering Colleges:
National Institute of Technology at Silchar
Jorhat Engineering College at Jorhat
Assam Engineering College at Guwahati
Indian Institute of Technology at Guwahati
Central Institute of Technology,Kokrajhar-783370, www.cit.kokrajhar.in
Medical Colleges:
Assam Medical College at Dibrugarh
Guwahati Medical College at Guwahati
Silchar Medical College at Silchar
Industrial Infrastructure :
With a view to provide infrastructure facilities to the Prospective Entrepreneurs/Investors the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) and the Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (AIIDC) have been asked to develop new Industrial parks by procuring more land in the State. Meanwhile various Industrial Infrastructures such as several Industrial Growth Centres, IID Projects, Industrial Parks etc. have already been established in almost all the districts of the State. Open land of 80 lakh sq. m. have already been developed and so far 32 lakh sq. m. have been allotted to various Industrial Projects in the State. The remaining 48 lakh sq. m. or 1000 acres of developed land is available today. Besides readymade industrial sheds, the Department is in possession of huge plots of fully developed open land ready for allotment to the prospective parties interested in establishing their industries in different locations in the State.
Industrial Infrastructure at a glance
A brief of the overall industrial infrastructure present in Assam for an investor.
Export Promotion Industrial Park
1
Specialized Industrial Park
Industrial Growth Centres
3
North East Food Park at Tihu, Nalbari
Integrated Infrastructure Depots
10
Bamboo Park at Jagiroad
FPIP
1
Jute Park at Kharupetia, Udalguri
Industrial Estates
16
Textile Park at Silapathar
Industrial Areas
17
Plastic Park at Tinsukia
Growth Centres
11
Mega Agro-Hub at Boko
Mini Industrial Estates
6
Growth Pole Project at Kamrup
Commercial Estates
64
Common Service Workshop
2
TCPC/OL
8
All with a total developed land area of 10.66 sq.km. out of which area covered by common facilities is 2.25 sq.km. Area of open space is 8.28 sq.km. while sheds numbering 1112 cover 125055.19 sq.m.
Allied Infrastructure :
In addition to the industrial infrastructure, Assam boasts of the very well maintained support infrastructure in terms of power, transport and communication.
Power :
With major energy players like NEEPCO and NHPC in the field of generating power in Assam, the state is well on its way to achieve not only self sufficiency in power but go into surplus in another two to three years. The Assam State Electricity Board comprising of its five companies dedicated to generation, supply and distribution of power is actively resurrecting power generation and at the same time implementing newer projects.
Transportation :
The major modes of transportation in Assam are roadways, railways, airways and inland waterways. At present, there are two road cum rail bridges and one road bridge over the river Brahmaputra. Construction of a fourth bridge is about to start and feasibility report on a fifth bridge has been recently completed. With a total road length of approximately 69,000 kms. Assam accounts for approximately 60% of the total road length in the North-east. The major towns in the state are connected by National Highways. With a total rail route length of 2435.13 kms, Assam has a convenient railway network connecting the state to the rest of the country. Within the State, broad gauge rail network connects all the major towns. The Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Guwahati is 18 km from the city centre and is well connected to New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
All major airlines operate regular flights to and from Guwahati. There are also regular intra-state air services connecting the six civil airports (Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Silchar & North Lakhimpur) of the state. Some of the tea gardens have their own air-strips and aircrafts. Additionally, the river Brahmaputra has been declared as the 2nd National Waterway of the country. Two Government-owned organisations (Central Inland Waterways Corporation and Directorate of Inland Waterways, Assam) operate water transport services on the river Brahmaputra and Barak on a commercial basis. These services are used for the transportation of passengers and goods alike. Assam's internal waterway network connects it to Bangladesh, giving it access to the ports of Chittagong, Kolkatta and Haldia.
Telecommunications :
The telecommunication network in the state is growing at a fast pace compared to other parts of the country. With 269 telephone exchanges with approximately 1,20,000 working connections, Assam also boasts of an excellent mobile phone, WLL and broadband internet connectivity provided by a number of national telecom giants.
Horticulture & Floriculture :
The agro-climatic conditions favors cultivation of wide range of horticultural crops including plantation crops and various fruits and vegetables, flowers, spices, medicinal & aromatic plants, nut crops and tuber crops. Most horticulture products are organic as the use of Chemical Fertilizers is very low with the majority of the farmers still stick to traditional organic farming methods. Assam has over 600 varieties of Orchids. Around 200 varieties are unique to this region of which 60% are ornamental in nature. Assam also has a vast array of aromatic plants. At present most of the oils extracted are sold in crude form. Some of the plants are Citronella, Lemon Grass, Patchouli and Agar.
Exotics: :
Assam Lemon: An unique product of Assam with a high percentage of Vitamin C (10 mg.) besides Vitamin B (0.02 mg.), Niacin (0.1) per 100 gm. Extractable oil content of the peel is around 0.8% and can be used in the cosmetic industry.
Hatkora: An exclusive export item belonging to the citrus family. Peel is used for tenderizing meat and enhancing flavour in culinary dishes.
Orchids: Of the 925 varieties available in India, over 600 can be grown in Assam. Around 200 varieties are unique to this region of which 60% are ornamental in nature.
Aromatic Rice (Joha Rice): Quality comparable with any popular aromatic rice in the world.
Bhut Jalakia (Capsicum Chinensis Jacq.): Hottest chili on earth with Scovelli Heat Unit (SHG) of 10,41,047.
Aromatic and Medicinal Produce :
About 300 types of medicinal herbs and plants are known to exist in abundance in Assam with the Brahmaputra valley itself having 150 varieties of herbs and plants of commercial value. It is estimated that only about 5-10% of the plants and herbs are currently utilized and the rest hold a vast potential.
Central/State Public Sector Undertakings of Industrial concerns in Assam :
Assam Carbon Products Ltd, Guwahati-Electrical and mechanical carbon materials
Assam Gas Company Ltd,Duliajan,
Dist : Dibrugarh-786002, Tel:0374-2800558,2800556
Fax:0374-2800557, email: assamgas@sancharnet.in
Bongaigaon Refineries and Petrochemicals Limited (BRPL)PO:Dhaligaon, Dist: Chirang, Assam-783385
Bramhaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL)
Cement Corporation of India Limited (CCI), Bokajan Unit,
Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd (HPC), Nagaon Paper Mill Ltd, Kagajnagar-782413, Distt> Marigaon, Tel:03678-245900-9
Fax:03678-245911-13
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
a) Guwahati Refinery, Noonmati, Guwahati
b) Digboi Refinery
North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited(NEEPCO), Regd office:RG Baruah Road, Guwahati-www.neepco.gov.in
Micro Small & Medium Enterprises Development Institute (MSMEDI),
Bamunimaidam,Guwahati-781021
Telefax:0361-2550052,2550298
Email:dcdi-guwahati@dcmsme.gov.in
www.msmedi-guwahati.gov.in
Tool Room & Training Centre (TRTC), Amingaon,Guwahati
Defence Research Laboaratory, DRDO, Tezpur-784 001
Industries :
A state rich in mineral resources, Assam is industrially backward by Indian standards as it has a few agro-based and mineral-based industries. The 150 years old Tea industry occupies an integral place in the economy.
TEA :
Of the agriculture-based industries, tea occupies an important place in Assam. In Assam, tea is grown both in the Brahmaputra and Barak plains. Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur are the districts where tea gardens are mostly found. Assam produces 51% of the tea produced in India and about 1/6th of the tea produced in the world.
In 1970, the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre was established for better marketing of the tea produced in the region. This is the world's largest CTC tea auction centre and the world's second largest in terms of total tea. It now auctions more than 150 million kg of tea valued at more than Rs 550.00 crores annually.
Tea industry has contributed substantially to the economy of Assam. About 17 percent of the workers of Assam are engaged in the tea industry
OIL :
Assam has the oldest refinery in the country which started commercial production in 1901. Assam was the first state in the country where in 1889 oil was struck at Digboi in Tinsukia district. The refinery, now belonging to the Assam Division of the Indian Oil Corporation, has a refining capacity of 3 lakh tonnes of petrol, kerosene, diesel and other petroleum products.
The second refinery in Assam was set up at Noonmati in Guwahati under the public sector. It started production in 1962. It produces liquified petroleum gas (LPG), petrol, kerosene, diesel, furnace oil, coke etc.
The third refinery in the region was established at Dhaligoan near Bongaigaon in 1962. It is known as Bongaigaon Refinery and Petro-Chemicals Limited (BRPL).
The fourth refinery in the state was established at Numaligarh of Golaghat district in 1999, with a refining capacity of 3 million tonnes of oil and other products.
NATURAL :
Like petroleum, natural gas is a valuable source of power and various other chemical by-products. In Assam, almost all the petroleum producing areas of the Brahmaputra Valley, especially Naharkatia, Moran, Lakuwa and Rudrasagar, contains 'associated natural gas'.
There are LPG bottling plants at Duliajan, North Guwahati, Silchar etc. The BRPL also uses natural gas as raw material to produce various chemicals.
COAL :
Assam has large reserves of coal too. The State is said to contain about 1200 million tonnes of coal reserves. The entire coal in this region is unique in the sense that it is highly volatile(36% - 42%), has low ash content (3% - 15%) and possesses high crackling index ( 10% - 29%).
GRANITE :
Assam is endowed with granites of variegated colours, ranging from off-white to grey and pink. It is found in central and lower parts of Assam. The grey granite is extensively used in road making and as a railway ballast. So far, it has hardly been exploited for decorative purposes and has great potential.
LIMESTONE :
Limestone is an important mineral which is used in the manufacture of cement, as flux in iron and steel production, and as raw materials for chemical industries. There are now several cement factories which have come up in Assam duetothe availability ofhigh quality limestone in the region.
TOURISM :
Tourism has become an important industry in many countries of the world, both in the east and the west. Various initiatives are being taken by the Government and other organisations to promote tourism here. Every year the number of visitors to Assam has been steadily increasing.
COTTAGE INDUSTRY :
Assam was traditionally famous for it's cottage industry, especially spinning and weaving. Pat or pure silk production is essentially confined to Assam. Assam produces about 10% of total natural silk of India.
Assam also produces Muga, the golden silk. Assam is also the main producer of Eri or Endi. Weaving is an important cottage industry of Assam. It is a traditional industry which can be traced back to very ancient times.
There are about 7,00,000 looms in Assam, where majority are primitive foot looms. Only some looms of Sualkuchi, used for commercial production of silk cloth, are powered.
BELL-METAL WORK :
Bell-metal work is a traditional cottage industry of Assam. The products made of bell-metal are traditional plates, cups, tumblers, pitchers, bowls, sarais (a tray with a stand), dwarf pitchers, pots, hookahs and musical instruments.
Brass-work is also an important traditional handicraft of Assam. Brass articles are produced not only for day-to-day use, but also for interior decoration. The total production of marketable finished goods annually is about 300 tonnes.
Some private industries recently set up in Assam are:
Name of the Industry
Location
Items produced
Hindustan Lever Ltd.
Doom Dooma
Toothpaste, Face Cream, Ponds Powder
SRD Nutrients
Mangaldoi
Horlicks
Barak Valley Cement
Badarpur
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
SKJ Coke Industries Ltd.
Guwahati
LAMC, Coke Breeze
S.M. Coke Ltd.
Jorabat
LAMC, Coke Breeze
Dharampal Satyapal Ltd.
Guwahati
Pan masala
Madhabi Biscuits Pvt. Ltd.
Tezpur
Biscuits
Nebisco Industries Pvt. Ltd.
Tezpur
Biscuits
Pancharatna Cement Pvt. Ltd.
Jorhat
Ordinary Portland Cement OPC
RCL Cement Pvt. Ltd.
Umrangshu
Ordinary Portland Cement OPC
Gattani Polymer
Jorhat
HOPE woven sack
Godrej Saralee
Guwahati
Mosquito repellent mat
Unicorn Paints (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Amingaon
Plastic Cement
Guru Detergent & Chem. (P) Ltd.
Amingaon
Synthetic detergent powder
Patkai Coal Products Pvt. Ltd.
Ledo
LAMC, Coke Breeze
Gayatri Distillery & Bottling Plant
Tinsukia
IMFL
Polymat Industries
I/E, Bonda
LDPE storage tank
Jyothi Laboratories
WPIP, Amingaon
Whitener
Atlanta Modular Ltd.
Lokhra
Jute Yarn
Ashoka Weaving Ltd.
Pachim Boragaon
Jute with hessian
Assam Cosmetics
I/E, Rani
Herbal Cosmetics
Kamakhya Cosmetics & Pharmacuetical Pvt. Ltd.
I/A Bamunimaidan
Cosmetics (Revlon)
Gattani Biscuit Industries
Jorhat
Biscuits
Royal Ice Industries
Tinsukia
Ice Cream
Apex Yarn (P) Ltd.
Pachim Boragaon
Jute Yarn
Nezone Biscuites
Tezpur
Biscuits
Herbo Foundation
I/E, Bamunimaidan
Emami Powder, Shampoo
Sri Balaji Roofing Pvt. Ltd.
Tinsukia
Asphaltic Corrugated Roofing sheet
Rely On Coir Foam (Pvt.) Ltd.
Sonapur
Rubberised Coir Foam Matresses
Assam Surfactant
Bongaigaon
Toilet cleaner/Cleaning liquid
Repose Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Guwahati
Bakery Products
Quality Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Industrial Area, Kalapahar
Bakery Products
Ozone Ayurvedics
EPIP, Amingaon
Herbal Cosmetics
Torsa Machines Ltd.
EPIP, Amingaon
Crushing m/c, Conveyer
Cosmo Personal Care Pvt. Ltd.
EPIP, Amingaon
Home Care Products
Addresses of Various Organissations in Assam & Guwahati :
Address
Tel:/Fax/Email ID/Website
MSME Development Institute, Bamunimaidam, Guwahati-781021
Khadi & Village Industries Commission, State Office,Rupnagar, Guwahati
National Productivity Council, Jayanti Mansion, Rajgarh Road, Guwahati
Bureau of Indian Standards,
Zoo Road Tiniali, Guwahati
Cane & bamboo Technology Centre
Zoo-Narengi Raod, Narikal Basti, Guwahati-781024
Tel: 0361-2410242/2410886
Fax: 0361-2410250
Email: info@caneandbamboo.org
www.caneandbamboo.org
www.bamboobazar.com-online store
marketing@caneandbamboo.org
The Industrial Investment Secretariat Cell (IISC)
Department of Industries & Commerce
Government of Assam
Block C, 3rd Floor
Assam Secretariat
Dispur, Guwahati - 781 006.
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd,
Basundhara Enclave, BK Kakati Road, Ulubari, Guwahati-781007
0361-2529202Fax:0351-2529178www.nedfi.com
Infrastructrue :
Transportation
The major modes of transportation in Assam are roadways, railways, airways and inland waterways. At present, there are two road cum rail bridges and one road bridge over the river Brahmaputra. Construction of a fourth bridge is about to start and feasibility report on a fifth bridge has been recently completed.
Roadways
Assam has total road length of approximately 69,000 kms. covering both metalled and non-metalled surfaces. That accounts for approximately 60% of the total road length in the North-east. The major towns in the state are connected by National Highways. During the next five years, the Government will strive for the development of roads specifically in the industrial areas.
Railways
The total route length is approximately 2435.13 kms. Assam has a convenient railway network connecting the state to the rest of the country. Within the State, all the major towns like Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Nagaon, Guwahati, Tezpur, Barpeta, Bongaigaon etc. are well connected by the railway network. B.G. line connection is up to Dibrugarh and M.G. line with Haflong and Silchar.
Airways
The Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Guwahati is 18 km from the city centre and is well connected to New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
Indian Airlines, Air Sahara, Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines, SpiceJet and Indigo fly operate regular flights to and from Guwahati.
Air India also operates an international weekly flight between Bangkok and Guwahati. There are also regular intra-state air services connecting the six civil airports (Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Silchar & North Lakhimpur) of the state. Some of the tea gardens have their own air-strips and aircrafts.
Inland Water Transport
The river Brahmaputra has been declared as the 2nd National Waterway of the country. Two Government-owned organisations (Central Inland Waterways Corporation and Directorate of Inland Waterways, Assam) operate water transport services on the river Brahmaputra and Barak on a commercial basis. These services are used for the transportation of passengers and goods alike. To many places in the hinterlands, waterways is the only mode of transport.
Assam's internal waterway network connects it to Bangladesh, giving it access to the ports of Chittagong (Bangladesh), Kolkatta and Haldia (West Bengal, India).
The Government has taken a major initiative for the development of port infrastructure in State.
Telecommunications
The present telecommunication network in the state is growing fast in comparison to the other parts of the country. Currently, individuals and industry alike face no problems in procuring telephone and other telecommunications facilities.
Assam has 269 telephone exchanges with approximately 1,20,000 working connections. The growth rate approximately matches the demand and the shortfall if any, is marginal. Mobile telephone services are available throughout the state.
Industrial Export Infrastructure :
Software Technology Park
A Software Technology Park has been set up at Guwahati near the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport. This park at Guwahati is similar to the ones set up at Noida, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar by Software Technology Park of India Ltd, a Govt. of India organization.
Export Promotion Industrial Park
Assam Industrial Development Corporation has implemented an Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Amingaon near Guwahati in the district of Kamrup at an estimated cost of Rs. 14.62 crores. The Export Promotion Industrial Park has been developed to provide infrastructural facilities of high standard for export oriented units. The basic objectives of EPIP are :
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To build and provide industrial infrastructural facilities in an integrated manner.
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To encourage growth of export oriented industrial units in the state.
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To sustain the involvement and interest of the state govt. in building and maintain such facilities.
The important features of the EPIP are :
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The park will provide developed plots and industrial sheds with power, water, road sewerage and drainage, telecommunication and other requisite facilities.
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The park is located at Amingaon within Greater Guwahati and adjacent to Inland Container Depot. The Guwahati Airport is 15 kms. away from the site.
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Allotment of plots will be made to non-polluting industries only.
The total area of the park is 68.10 acres. AIDC has constructed three industrial sheds and allotted to three industrial units. Today, the park has the presence of 37 companies and firms out of which 17 have manufacturing activities.
Food Processing Park
The Government of India has sanctioned a food processing park with a total project cost of Rs. 5.95 crores. The park is being set up near Chaygaon in the district of Kamrup (rural). The implementing agency for the FP is Assam Small Industries Development Corporation Ltd.
Agri Export Zone for Ginger
The Government of India has sanctioned an Agri Export Zone for fresh & processed Ginger for the State in February, 2003. The Nodal Agency for implementing this project is Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd.
Industrial Growth Centres
Industrial Growth Centres with high standard infrastructure are being set up at Balipara in Sonitpur district and Matia in Goalpara. Both the growth centers would have excellent approach and internal roads, dedicated power lines, adequate water supply, communication facilities and central effluent treatment plants in addition to facilities such as banks, post office, fire station, police station etc.
Salient features of the Growth Centre at Matia
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Total project cost : Rs. 22.00 crores
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Total area : 700 acres (around 450 acres is being proposed to be developed)
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18 kms. away from the heart of the Goalpara town
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135 kms. away from the heart of Guwahati city
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110 kms. from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi (Borjhar) International Airport
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18 kms. from Goalpara Railway Station
Salient features of the Growth Centre at Balipara
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Total Project cost : Rs. 25.44 crores
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Total area : 400 acres
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15 kms. away from heart of the Tezpur town
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200 kms. from Saloni (Tezpur) Airport
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7 kms. from Balipara Railway Station
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2 kms. away from NH - 52
IID Centre at Bhomoraguri / Naltali, District Nagaon
The Central Government has approved the setting up of an Integrated Infrastructure Development (IID) Centre at Bhomoraguri / Naltali in Nagaon district at a project cost of Rs. 510.00 lakh. The Government land measuring 41 acres has already been taken over. The foundation stone of the project was laid down on 10th January, 2001 and activities for various infrastructure developments are nearing completion.
IID Centre at Dalgaon, District Darrang
The Government of India has approved the setting up of an Integrated Infrastructure Development (IID) Centre at Dalgaon in Darrang District at a project cost of Rs. 418.00 lakh. The Government land measuring 35 acres has already been taken over and the project work in e in progress and nearing completion.
New IID Centres
IID Centre at Demow, District Sivasagar
The Govt. of India has sanctioned a IID Centre at Demow in the Sivasagar District at a cost of Rs. 470.00 lakh. Land measuring 111 Bihgas at Demow has been taken over for the project. The foundation stone for the project has been laid on 23rd July, 2003.
IID Centre at Malinibeel, District Cachar
The Govt. of India has sanctioned another IID Centre at Malinibeel in the District of Cachar. An area of 90 Bighas of land have already been taken over by AIDC for the project. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Rs. 510 lakh.
Proposed IID Centres
Titabor in the district of Jorhat
Rangia in the district of Kamrup. It is almost completed.
North Lakhimpur in the district of Lakhimpur
Border Trade Centre, Mankachar, District Dhubri
The Govt. of India has approved the setting up of a Border Trade Centre at Mankachar in j Dhubri district at a project cost of Rs. 426.00 lakh. This BTC is going to be implemented by AIDC Ltd.
Border Trade Centre, Sutarkandi, District Karimganj
The Govt. of India has approved the ssetting up of a Border Trade Centre at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district bordering Bangladesh at a project cost of Rs. 8.16 crores. The project is being implemented by Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
Border Trade Centre, Darranga, District Kamrup
AIDC has prepared a project proposal for establishment of a Border Trade Centre at Darranga bordering Bhutan considering the increasing Border Trade with neighbouring Bhutan. The project cost has been estimated at Rs. 18.00 crores. The project proposal has already been submitted to Govt. of India for its approval.
