Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state government is going to sign several MoUs with domestic and foreign companies during Advantage Assam 2.0. He hopes that the state government will be able to translate the MoUs to be signed into investment.
Speaking to the media here today, the Chief Minister said, "Foreign countries have started to view the atmosphere in Assam positively. Three projects-the semiconductor unit at Jagiroad, the new urea unit at Namrup, and the production of ethanol from bamboo at NRL-that came up in the past two years have brought a sea change in the investment scenario."
The Chief Minister said, "The first Advantage Assam was focused on government investment. However, Advantage Assam 2.0 has its focus on private investment. The state is not without hurdles in private investment from abroad. Some countries, like Japan and Australia, still have put Assam in their grey lists insofar as tourism is concerned. Such countries have issued travel advisories to their citizens. When there are restrictions on the visit of tourists, investors from those countries will naturally make queries before investing. We've already started the process for the withdrawal of travel advisories from Japan and Australia. Land may be another problem. Providing required lands to meet foreign investors' requirements is also a question. However, the government hopes to overcome all such hurdles to translate the MoUs to be signed into investment."
He said, "In my recent visit to Bhutan, the Himalayan country has made a request for the setting up of a special economic zone (SEZ) in Assam based on the neighbouring country's 'mindfulness city' to be set up at Gelephu. The problem for Bhutan is that they don't have spacious land to offer to the potential investors. The state cabinet will approve several SEZs tomorrow, and we hope that we can navigate through this problem of acquiring land together."
The Chief Minister said, "The key sectors identified for discussion at the Advantage Assam 2.0 are tourism, renewable energy and hydrocarbons, electronics and semiconductors, aerospace and defence manufacturing, fragrance and flavours, mobility and logistics, bamboo and sustainable harvest, food and beverage, etc."
He further said that the summit will have several sessions on critical sectors and topics. "The one with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia- I-way to Viksit Asom-will delve deep into the possibilities of bringing internet connection to the state underneath the Brahmaputra, taking a cue from the coastal states that have internet connections underneath the sea. If possible, it will have less internet disturbance. Likewise, the session with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will focus on Act East, Act Fast, and Act First."
The Chief Minister said that as many as 7,000 willing participants have registered online. The seven partnering countries, including Bhutan, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, have confirmed their participation. Six other participating countries, including the Philippines, Finland, Iceland, Austria, and the Republic of Korea, have confirmed their presence at the summit. Apart from these, the US-India Business Council, India-New Zealand Business Council, UAE-India Business Council, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, World Bank, European Union, ADB, New Development Bank, etc., have also confirmed their participation.
The Chief Minister said, "Along with big industries, we also accord the same importance to small and medium industries. There will be a session for promoting credit linkage between financial institutions and small and medium industries."
The Chief Minister said, "To create an investment-conducive atmosphere in the state, we have adopted two policies-the Assam Startup and Innovations and the Aerospace Defense Manufacturing. The first Advantage Assam fetched us three major achievements: the expansion of Numaligarh Refinery, a crude pipeline from Paradeep to Numaligarh, and the Gas Grid extension to Assam from Barauni. The government is playing its part to boost investments. The public will also have to play their role to create an environment conducive for foreign investment in the state."
Also Read: Assam: Focusing on Sustained Investment in Key Areas, Says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
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