GUWAHATI: Assam is in the brink of securing significant investments from consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and charitable Lilavati Medical Trust.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, expressed optimism regarding potential investment opportunities from HUL in the state’s tea industry and the Trust in the healthcare sector.
During a meeting in Mumbai, Sarma engaged in fruitful discussions with Dev Bajpai of HUL, along with Prashant Mehta and Saurav Sharma of Lilavati Medical Trust.
Speaking on the matter, Sarma highlighted Assam’s readiness to embrace new investments, particularly in enhancing value addition to the local tea industry.
Additionally, he anticipated active participation from Lilavati Trust in bolstering the healthcare sector of the state.
Earlier this month, Sarma had proudly announced that Assam had secured investments amounting to Rs 80,000 Crore within a span of just one month, even without the convening of an investment summit.
He attributed this remarkable achievement to the unwavering support and focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the development of Assam.
HUL have recently announced a partnership with the Tea Research Association (TRA), located in Tocklai, Jorhat, to tackle the challenges posed by climate change in the tea industry.
As a leading manufacturer of tea with renowned brands such as Brooke Bond Red Label, Taj Mahal, and Taaza, HUL seeks to promote regenerative agricultural practices to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the tea sector.
Acknowledging the sensitivity of the tea crop to climatic variations, HUL and TRA will conduct a comprehensive “Life Cycle Analysis” for Indian tea, developing strategies to mitigate carbon impact across the value chain.
This partnership will extend its coverage to 19 tea estates/factories and 19 small tea growers, encompassing major tea-growing regions in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. The project aims to benefit approximately 15,000 hectares of land.
The collaboration between HUL and TRA also endeavours to ensure that the tea produced aligns with consumer expectations of quality, sustainability, and community welfare.
