Assam Budget: New Airport at Silchar & low cost air connectivity of Guwahati with Silchar

March 16: Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog on Wednesday presented the state budget for the year 2022-23. Many projects were announced by the Finance Minister to boost the tourism sector in Assam.

Major Budget Snapshots to Boost Tourism Sector in Assam: 

• Reduction of 1 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for aircraft.
• Proposal to start new scheme to facilitate cheaper air connectivity from Guwahati to Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Tezpur.
• Proposal for new airports in Karbi Anglong and Silchar, along with three new heliports at Nagaon, Geleki and Haflong.

• Active engagement with government of India for a Greenfield Airport at Diphu.
• Joint survey for de-notification of 180 acres of forest land for development of Rupsi Airport.
• Allotment of ₹156 crore for acquisition of 50 acres of land for Jorhat Airport.
• ₹50 crore for acquisition of 870 acres of land for Greenfield Airport at Silchar

• ₹3.56 crore for acquisition of 84 acres of land for Lilabari Airport at North Lakhimpur.
• Capital infrastructure support upto Rs. 2.00 crore each to 50 selected Tea gardens during 2022-23 to boost Tea Tourism industry in the state
• Development of River Tourism Circuit along Brahmaputra covering Manas and Kaziranga.
• Thematic tourism development of Tea & Golf, River and Pilgrimage.

• War Memorial at Alaboi,Kamrup featuring a 100 foot tall Hengdang commemorating Lachit Borphukan.
• Development of Srimanta Sankardev Vaishnavite Circuit.
• Jorhat Jail to be developed as North East Freedom Fighter’s Memorial Park
• Maniram Dewan Samadhi and Gomdhar Konwar Samadhi at Jorhat to be renovated.
• Light and sound show to come up at Rang Ghar, Sivasagar to attract international tourists.