Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new chapter of industrial progress in Assam on Sunday, marked by the Bhoomi Pujan (ground-breaking ceremony) for the ₹10,600 crore Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project at Namrup in Dibrugarh district. Speaking at the event, Modi emphasized the project's significance for Assam and the entire Northeast, highlighting its potential to boost the agriculture sector and create employment opportunities in the region.

The new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project will be located within the existing Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL). The project aims to produce 12.7 lakh metric tonnes of urea annually. The plant is expected to be completed by 2030.

Modi stated that the project fulfills a long-awaited dream for Namrup and Dibrugarh, signaling a new phase of industrial advancement in the region. He highlighted the "double-engine government's" commitment to solving long-pending issues and alleged the previous Congress governments had neglected the facility, leading to shutdowns and distress for farmers. He said that the current government is committed to modernizing the old factories.

The Prime Minister underscored the importance of ensuring a continuous supply of fertilizers to farmers and reducing logistics costs through local production. He noted that India's urea production has increased from 225 lakh metric tonnes in 2014 to nearly 306 lakh metric tonnes at present. Despite high global prices, the government provides urea to farmers at subsidized rates.

The project is not only expected to meet the fertilizer requirements of Assam and neighboring states but also reduce India's dependence on imports and facilitate exports to countries like Bhutan and Myanmar. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the expansion will turn the Namrup facility into a major fertiliser production hub. The new plant will also address fertiliser demand from states like West Bengal and Bihar.

Modi highlighted the various initiatives taken by the government to support farmers, including direct benefit transfers under PM-Kisan, crop insurance, and improved procurement systems. He also mentioned the inclusion of livestock and fish farmers under the Kisan Credit Card scheme.

Prior to the Bhoomi Pujan, Modi inaugurated the new terminal at Guwahati Airport, remarking that Assam has gained a new momentum of development. He also visited the Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Guwahati to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Assam Movement.

The establishment of the AVFCCL Namrup ammonia-urea project is a joint venture among the Assam Government, Oil India, National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL), and BVFCL. The company said that the project is being established as a modern, energy-efficient, world-class fertiliser complex. AVFCCL also asserted that the foundation stone laying ceremony marked the revival of Namrup's legacy as the cradle of India's gas-based fertilizer industry and will herald a new chapter of growth, sustainability and agricultural prosperity for the entire region.