|
INDIAN STATE : ASSAM
General Information
Assam is a northeastern state of India. Located just
below the eastern Himalayan foothills, it is surrounded
by the other northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh,
Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. Assam
and its commercial capital Guwahati form the gateway
to the northeastern states, together called the seven
sisters.
It has the unique Locational advantage of being situated
close to South East Asian countries and hence it has
the potential to emerge as a strategic base for domestic
and foreign investors to tap the vast potential markets
of countries like China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand,
Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, etc.
Assam's proximity to SAARC countries like Bangladesh,
Nepal and Bhutan gives it the investment potential considering
the advantage of border trade with theses countries.
Border Trade Centre at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district
and Mankachar in Dhubri district have been developed
to facilitate border trade with Bangladesh. It has been
proposed in the 11th five-year plan to set up two more
Border Trade Center, one at Ledo connecting China and
other at Darranga connecting Bhutan. There are several
Land Custom Stations (LCS) in the state bordering Bangladesh
and Bhutan to facilitate border trade.
Border points between Myanmar and North East region
have been opened at Moreh (Manipur) and Champhora (Mizoram).
Besides, Assam's internal waterway networks connect
it to Bangladesh giving it access to the ports of Chittagong
(Bangladesh), Kolkata and Haldia (West Bengal).
Industrial scenario has undergone a vast change in
Assam. Apart from tea, petroleum and petrochemicals,
other industries in various sectors like paper, fertilizer,
cement, coke, lime, sugar, engineering, plastic, steel,
printing, cosmetics, poultry & dairy products along
with handloom and handicraft have thrived in the state.
Moreover, with its rich flora and fauna, breathtaking
natural beauty, age-old temples and monuments, Assam
offers a unique potential for tourism industries for
both domestic and foreign market.
Fact File
| Geographical Area
|
0.78 (lakh sq. km) |
| Capital |
Guwahati |
| Population (2001
Census) |
In lakhs 266.56 |
| Gross state Domestic
product (GSDP) at current prices in 2004-2005 (as
of Feb 2006) |
US$ 9.80427 bn |
| Gross state Domestic
product (GSDP) at constant price (1993-94) in 2004-2005
(as of Feb 2006) |
US$ 4.78496 bn |
| Net State Domestic
Product at Current Prices (2004-05)* |
US$ 8.35497 bn |
| Net State Domestic
Product at Constant Prices (1993-1994) for (2004-05) |
US$ 4.11838 bn |
| Per Capita Income
at current prices (2004-2005) |
US$ 294. 862 |
| Percentage of State
Population to All India Population |
2.59 |
| Total Investments
(as on Jan 2006) |
US$ 5.447 bn |
| Literacy Rate |
64.28% |
| Principal languages |
Assamese, English |
Climate
Assam has a tropical climate with three seasons viz.
the summer months (June to August), the monsoon months
(May to October) and the winter/spring months (November
to April). The salient features of the average climate
are given below:
- Maximum Temperature - 37 degree Celsius
- Minimum Temperature - 6 degree Celsius
- Humidity (%) - 78
- Annual Rainfall (mm) - 2310
Political
and Administrative System
The political system of the state ensures that elected
representatives govern the state. The state has 126
Legislative Assembly constituencies and 14 Parliamentary
constituencies.
Advantage Assam
- The state is endowed with plenty of natural resources.
- Unique locational advantage of being situated close
to South-East Asian countries.
- Assam's proximity to the SAARC countries of Bangladesh,
Nepal, and Bhutan gives rise to investment potential
for foreign investors taking advantage of the dynamic
possibilities of intra regional trade through SAFTA
(South Asian Free Trade Agreement).
- Gateway to the North - East.
- Source of raw material for both agriculture and
industry.
- Special Government Incentives under the North East
Industrial Policy.
|
