Advantage Assam 2.0: Paving a new era

Tanuj Goswami

(tanujuri03@gmail.com)

The whirlwind tour by the Chief Minister of Assam with hectic, high-profile preparation for the ensuing Advantage Assam 2.0 summit in Guwahati on 25th-26th February 2025 is generating enormous excitement and anticipation in the state.

Without diving deep into the effects of Advantage Assam 1.0, it is observed that the oncoming summit assumes greater significance on the back of the proposed semiconductor plant at Jagiroad, Assam, and a slew of other strategic policy decisions and infrastructural advancement that the state has witnessed for the last few years. All these actions facilitate pitching Assam as the right destination. for creating an investment & industrial hub in Northeast India.

Meanwhile, the CM is reported to have parleyed with big industrialists and investors in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore and impressed upon them Assam’s business-friendly policies, its vibrant ecosystem, and his vision to cement enduring partnerships with Asian countries to make Assam the preferred destination for mutual benefits.

Assam or the whole of Northeast is now almost free from insurgencies that bedevilled the region for quite a long time, and credit must go to both the Central and State Governments. By the way, Assam is peaceful, stable, and now treading the golden path of growth and development with a thriving economy.

The leadership role played by the CM has always been sprightly and fully dedicated to his calling despite so many uncertainties, difficulties, and challenges ahead. In any emerging state like Assam, what counts most is the strong leadership trait and urge to think outside of the box and go outbound, especially to the countries of Southeast Asia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea for the development of the state.

At a time when global cooperation and collaboration have flatlined in many parts of the world due to growing geopolitical issues, most Asian countries have been hugely successful in fostering regional cooperation and collaborative ties for mutual development, barring, of course, a few.

The business and economic landscape around the world has undergone tectonic changes with the advent of generative AI (artificial intelligence), innovation, new business models, e-commerce, inclusivity, and energy transition.

Accordingly, a kind of realignment of jobs by the organisations is sine qua non to maintain sustainability and resilience in the changing circumstances. Therefore, the state has to plan out and rejig in partnership with technological companies or the growth/knowledge centres for the skilling and re-skilling of our youths. There are many integral units to be set up with the semiconductor plant, so our youths will get exposed to many ancillary utilities coming up anew. The state authority and the youths must stand motivated to make the most of it.

Assam, a land of nature’s bounty, has immense potential to harness its huge water resources for hydroelectric power, which is a green source. The government must tap into this enormous resource through small but low-cost hydropower plants across the state because the state is woefully short even to fulfil its demands, which keep accelerating leaps and bounds.

Energy, being the fulcrum of our development process, needs the top priority. Alternatively, the option for small but clean and green modular nuclear energy may be thought of if the state were to stay relevant as a manufacturing hub as proposed by the authority. Nuclear power is going to be the next prime source of green and clean energy besides the other renewable ones.

In Assam, a push-up for cost-effective solar power generation will greatly relieve the burden of power import bills and meet the growing demands of industrial, manufacturing, and household sectors in the future. Meanwhile, the PM Surya Ghar Yojana has been hugely successful, so different types of solar technologies may be opted for through constant partnerships with investors.

The state can still boast of its age-old tea industries with a share of more than 52% of the production of the country, but this chronically feeble industry needs both modernisation and diversification. The industry is starved of value addition in terms of both quality and quantity. The infusion of funds for R&D, automation, and modern cultivation techniques to adapt to climatic adversity is the need of the hour.

It’s a time to unlock the boundless potentialities of the Assam tourism sector that warrants critical analysis for professional and smart display. Assam is dotted with immaculate spots of scenic beauty possessing ample scopes to be streamlined and presented in diverse arenas about its unique culture, exotic handlooms & textiles, exquisite handicrafts, imposing flora and fauna, age-old religious sites of universal values, famed tea gardens, glorified historical places, etc. A piece of highly professional touch imbued with deep imagination to get the paradigm shifted is considered essential to make Assam tourism sustainable, lively, and paying. Of late, the transport & telecommunication network to the NE has been considerably upgraded by the union government, but seamless travel from one corner to another within the NE is still a nightmare; all modes of safety, security, and easy communication are fundamental features of an evolving nation.

The vast assets of our lavish agricultural fields, varied farm produce, organic vegetables & fruits, flowers, aromatic & ornamental plants, livestock, and above all, their vigorous marketing need complete reconfiguration to boost the rural economy, maintain sustainability, and generate large-scale employment. In Assam, agrarian reforms can transform the face of the rural economy.

Foreign investors get motivated to invest when a nation is stable and strong politically and economically and the government is firmly committed to the legal and regulatory framework with a high degree of transparency and an independent judiciary. India as a nation is indeed strong, rule-bound, and shining with a vibrant democracy, making a spectacular growth rate by an average of 8% in the three years before 2024-2025.

Let the public & private cooperation and investment in Assam be the commencement of a new era of development. The tempo generated by the investment opportunities must be sustained at any cost for the greater interest of Assam. So it’s time for the government functionaries and the public at large to go hand in hand.