Assam is going to organise its first Global Investors’ Summit, aimed at attracting investments to the state, on 3-4 February next year in Guwahati.
Talking about the mega event in the capital, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put a lot of focus on the faster development of North East. “He has, in fact, termed North East as the new engine of India’s growth. Following his vision, the state government recently formed a separate department called ‘Act East Policy Affairs Department’,” he said.
The event “Advantage Assam” will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, for which the state government has already organised road shows in US, Canada, UK, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Cambodia and Indian cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad.
The department, said Sonowal, will work in tandem with the Centre and other north eastern states to fulfil the vision of the policy. We believe that being the centre of the Act East policy, north eastern states should play a proactive role in building the necessary infrastructure and faster implementation of the projects, he added.
The Assam government organised an Ambassadors’ meet in the capital which was attended by Ambassadors from the ASEAN nations and also from other important strategic partners like Germany, Turkey, Israel, Afghanistan and Kazhakishtan. State Industries and Commerce Minister Chandramohan Patowari and senior officials were present on the occasion.
The state government, said Sonowal, is working hard to create a business-friendly environment so that investment comes to the state. “In the last one year, we have succeeded in bringing investments to the tune of Rs 6,500 crore to the state,” the Chief Minister said. Sonowal said the state government has started working on Global Trade Centre, 65-storeyed twin buildings, to be built Guwahati. The Centre, he said, will become a symbol of trade and business in the “gateway to Southeast Asia”. There is sufficient land for prospective investors to set up their units, he said. Asked about the priority sector, the Chief Minister said: “Let the investors come first. We are ready with an open mind. Our government will extend full support to them. However, sectors like tourism and organic food/ food processing can be major sectors where investors can invest as the state is full of natural beauty.”