Demographic Advantage

Assam is a state with a heterogeneous population, characterised by socio-cultural and ethnic diversity. As per the 2011 Census, the total population of Assam is 3,12,05,576, of which 1,59,39,443 are males and 1,52,66,133 are females. 86% of the population lives in rural areas, which is higher than the national average of 69%. The sex ratio of the state has increased to 958 females per 1,000 males in 2011. The worker population ratio in the state for 2022–23 was 54.5%.

The literacy rate for Assam, as per the 2011 Census, increased to 72.19%, with 77.85% for males and 66.27% for females. The literacy rates for rural and urban areas were calculated at 69.34% and 88.47%, respectively.

Healthcare Facilities

The status of health infrastructure in Assam has been improving over the years. Currently, there are 12 medical colleges and hospitals, 21 civil hospitals, 3 tuberculosis hospitals, 3 leprosy hospitals, 1 cancer hospital, 16 sub-district hospitals, 1,009 primary health centres, 14 first referral units, 201 community health centres, 154 state dispensaries, 4,728 sub-centres, and 130 mobile medical units (80 for tea gardens and 50 for non-tea gardens), and 15 boat clinics with 21,475 total beds in the state at the end of 2022-23. Additionally, the state has three nursing colleges in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Silchar, along with six paramedical institutions, three dental colleges, 279 polyclinics, and 488 diagnostic centres as of December 2023.

The birth rate of Assam, according to the Sample Registration System Bulletin 2020, was 20 per 1,000 people, and the death rate of the state was six per 1,000 people. Life expectancy was 67.9 years, out of which for males it was 67.3 years, and for females it was 68.6 years. The infant mortality rate was 36 per 1,000 live births, and the maternal mortality rate was 195 per 100,000 live births. The sex ratio was 964 females per 1,000 males, which was above the national average of 929.

Educational Facilities

The literacy rate for Assam, as per the 2011 Census, increased to 72.19%, with 77.85% for males and 66.27% for females. The literacy rates for rural and urban areas were calculated at 69.34% and 88.47%, respectively.

In Assam, as per the District Information System for Education 2022-23, the number of government lower primary schools is 33,937, of which 32,860 are in rural areas and 1,077 are in urban areas. Likewise, the total number of upper primary schools is 5,815, of which 5,511 are in rural areas and 294 are in urban areas. The pupil-teacher ratio in the lower primary level during FY 2022-23 was 22, and for the upper primary level, it was 20. The gross enrolment ratio, according to the Ministry of Education, during FY 2021-22, for elementary schools was 109.8%, 74.5% for secondary schools, and 40.1% for senior secondary schools.

As per the Directorate of Higher Education, Assam, the state has 20 universities, 5 government colleges, 11 government model colleges, 321 provincialised colleges, 92 private colleges, 25 literary & voluntary organisations, one government law college, and 26 private law colleges. At present, there are seven government engineering colleges and 27 polytechnic institutions in Assam. Besides these, the state has two premier institutes: the National Institute of Technology, Silchar, and the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.

Technology & Advancement

In January 2023, IIT Guwahati partnered with industry for drone technology development in Northeast India to strengthen training, research, and manufacturing. The institute also signed an MoU with Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital in March 2023 for cardiac research and digital transformation.

In April 2023, the foundation stone of the Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHII) was virtually laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at IIT Guwahati. This institute is envisioned to be a hub for research and innovation in medical sciences, featuring a 500-bedded multi-speciality hospital.

Gene Bank - Scientific Conservation Programme for Indigenous Fish (SCoPIF) is being implemented covering both experimental and natural habitats by involving the College of Fisheries, Raha. The project aims to conserve the fish biodiversity of the state with a scientific approach for the development of standardised propagation technology for selected endangered fish species to suit the local environment, developing a directory of Indigenous fish species along with a database, and establishing a fish gene bank.

The northeast region of India has the highest concentration of bamboo, accounting for more than 60% of the country's total bamboo resources. Assam is rich in bamboo resources, and most of its forest is richly stocked with bamboo and cane from various species.
For the promotion of the bamboo sector, the central and state governments have taken many initiatives to further develop its potentiality. Assam has become the first country’s state-of-the-art bamboo technology park to boost cultivation in the state and the region. Recently, to boost the rural economy, the state government has initiated the establishment of a bamboo industrial park with the collaboration of the Government of India. This will help the local entrepreneurs to establish MSMEs for their sustainable development.

Infrastructure Details

Assam is the gateway to the northeast region of India. The 65,748.00 km long road network in Assam, as of March 2023, includes 3,927.24 km of national highways and 61,820.76 km of roads under the state government's purview. The state also has a robust railway route with a total length of 2,571.19 km.

Assam is well connected with the rest of the country through air transport. The state has seven operational civil airports at Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, North Lakhimpur, Dhubri, and Silchar. Additionally, small private airstrips in the interior areas are also present to address the needs of the corporate houses. The Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati, is the only international airport in the North-East region of India. Assam is a riverine state with the largest inland waterway network of 1,980 km. The Brahmaputra has 891 km of navigable waterways, while the Barak has 121 km of navigable waterways for shipping, navigation, and transportation of cargo. The Directorate of Inland Water Transport operates 94 ferry services in the Brahmaputra, Barak, and other tributaries for passenger transportation. The feasibility of running river transport in 12 newly notified national waterways has been established to develop the last-mile interconnectivity in the northeast region.

Sustainability Initiatives

Assam has a total renewable energy capacity of 541.92 MW, comprising 34.11 MW of small hydropower, 2 MW of biopower, 155.81 MW of solar power, and 350 MW of large hydropower as of December 2023. The state has a total power generation capacity from various sources of 295.44 Mus (Million Units), which is the highest in the northeastern region. This includes 238.47 MU from solar, 56.58 MU from small hydro, and 0.39 MU from others. Assam has a solar energy potential of 13,760 MWp as estimated by the National Institute of Solar Energy. The state has witnessed the adoption of EVs. As per the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, the total number of EVs as of August 2023 was 120,423.

India’s first pure green hydrogen plant, commissioned in Jorhat by Oil India Limited, has taken the first significant step towards a green hydrogen economy in India with the commissioning of India’s first 99.999% pure green hydrogen pilot plant, with an installed capacity of 10 kg per day at its Jorhat Pump Station in Assam.