Assam CM Sonowal lauds role of IIT Guwahati, calls for scientific study of river system

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal lauded the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati for its role towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and helping Assam in its drive for self-sustainability.

Addressing the 22nd convocation of Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) , Chief Minister Sonowal stated that as an offshoot of the historic Assam Accord, the institute has not only fostered an environment of academic excellence in the entire country with its quality technical education over the years, it has also lent its hands in making self reliant nation.

 IIT Guwahati has played a major role in fighting the pandemic by providing various sophisticated instruments to National Health Mission, Assam and by developing, manufacturing and commercializing all the COVID-19 related kits across the State.

Felicitating all the students through video conference on receiving degrees on the convocation, Chief Minister Sonowal informed that IIT-G, has produced globally competitive human resources and carried out research that significantly benefitted the society.

While acknowledging the role of IIT Guwahati, he said that in the past two and half decades Asssm has been immensely benefitted from the expertise of the institute in disaster preparedness and risk reduction. He stated that with every passing year, floods and erosion, landslides, storms, earthquake etc. have become more intense and recurrent in the State.

Dating back to 1950 when the great earthquake jolted Assam, sudden change of river course and large-scale erosion has claimed several lakh hectares of land in the State. This development makes it imperative to carry out dedicated scientific study on the characteristics and behaviours of the river system in the State.

Speaking on the occasion, he also urged upon IIT Guwahati to set up a dedicated centre on Hydrological Studies and Disaster Control as the institute has all the expertise in these areas.

In his speech, he assured that State government will extend full support to IIT Guwahati in this regard.

Chief Minister Sonowal also asked the graduating students of IIT Guwahati to consider beginning of start-ups in the state for which the State government will extend necessary support.

He also said that as a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East Policy' Northeast region is fast emerging as the nerve centre of India's economic activity.

Leading towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, this has opened up new doors of opportunities in communication, transportation, trade and business, tourism, cultural exchange, sports, information technology, agriculture etc. to link northeast with ASEAN and BBN countries.

To promote Industrialization, Assam government has also come up with new policy on tax incentives for setting up industries and tourism units and formulated IT policy, biotech policy, start up policy, sugar policy, solar energy policy, Assam Industrial Investment Policy etc.

Unveiling his vision of a self- reliant Assam, he also requested the graduates of IIT Guwahati with their innovative ideas, knowledge and skill to join the start-up movement unleashed by the government to exploit the market potential of the state and serve 800 million population spread across the North Eastern States of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the ASEAN countries. 

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