Guwahati, January 23: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that the state will set up a Centre of Excellence in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), following discussions with the forum’s leadership. The Centre will focus on a theme of both national and state importance, aimed at strengthening policy, innovation and investment outcomes.
The Chief Minister said Assam is also building a long-term partnership with the WEF, enabling the state to leverage major WEF platforms and assets, including annual summits at Davos and other global convenings, to showcase Assam’s growth story and attract investments.
In separate meetings, Sarma held talks with PepsiCo leadership—CEO Eugene Willemsen and Vice President Caroline Berson—on strengthening agri-industry linkages and expanding the company’s footprint in Assam. The Chief Minister conveyed the state’s plan to ensure assured institutional credit to potato farmers through an exclusive tripartite agreement involving State Bank of India (SBI), PepsiCo and the Government of Assam.
The discussions also reviewed the progress of PepsiCo’s Nalbari plant, explored expansion plans, and identified avenues for deeper engagement with the farming community to improve incomes and supply-chain resilience.
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Highlighting investor interest, the Chief Minister noted that Advantage Assam 2 has received ₹5 lakh crore in investment proposals, of which ₹3 lakh crore is already under process. He said Assam’s rapid growth, custom-designed policies for regulatory predictability, and a large, skilled workforce make the state one of India’s most attractive investment destinations.
Sarma added that dialogues with global industry leaders have helped the government better understand current industry needs and align policy support to achieve shared objectives of growth, jobs and sustainable development.
