Dispur, Sept. 15 -- The world's first second-generation bamboo-based bioethanol plant was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on Sunday at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Assam's Golaghat district.

Built at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore, the Assam Bioethanol Plant is designed to reduce reliance on imported crude oil, promote green energy, and provide economic opportunities to farmers and tribal communities through bamboo cultivation.

The inauguration was part of a wider package of projects worth about Rs 18,000 crore launched by the Prime Minister in Assam, including the foundation stone for a Rs 7,230 crore polypropylene plant at NRL.

Modi described polypropylene as an essential input for modern industries, citing its use in textiles, ...