PM Modi's Assam Visit: Business Summit Aims for Peaceful Image

Guwahati, Feb 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit for the Advantage Assam business summit will send a message to industrialists that the state is now peaceful, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

After reviewing the arrangements at the venue of Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit, Sarma said the state had immense potential but the law and order scenario pushed back the state considerably over the last three-four decades.

"At the dawn of Independence, Assam had a higher GDP than the national average but several historical events since then had pushed back the state's development. This is the time for a big turnaround and to start a fresh journey... I think we are on the right track," he said.

The captains of the Indian industry and foreign investors will be here and it will be a "historic and a huge moment" for the people of Assam, he said.

"We are not a big state as compared to Gujarat and Tamil Nadu but going by our own historical legacy and economy, we are going to attract significant investment during the conclave," he added.

Sarma said PM Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, along with 400 foreign delegates, will witness the traditional dance 'Jhumoir Binandini', reflecting the lives of the tea tribe community, which will be followed by the summit.

"Both these events are a matter of immense pride for the people of Assam. I hope that the events pass off smoothly according to our expectations and we will be able to sign important Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) during the conclave," he said.

During the review, the CM inspected key facilities, including pavilions and exhibition sites.

The PM will inaugurate the summit on Tuesday. Industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Anil Agarwal, Prashant Ruia and Sajjan Jindal are expected to attend the programme.

Besides Jaishankar, Development of North Eastern Region Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will be present at the summit. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will virtually address a session.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address the valedictory session on Wednesday where two presentations on semiconductors and Numaligarh Refinery's Bio Refinery will be made, Sarma said.

Representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international funding agencies will also be present, he said.

Various sessions will be held on different themes, among which are 200 years of Assam Tea, MSME, One District One Product (ODOP), tourism, health, biomanufacturing and bio-foundries, startup ecosystem, agarwood processing and value addition, advancing semiconductor horizons, aerospace and defence manufacturing, and road, railway and riverine infrastructure.