Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while visiting Assam for the third time this year, today dedicated to the nation INDMAX unit at Bongaigaon refinery & petrochemicals Limited (Indian Oil), Oil India Limited’s secondary tank farm at Madhuban (Dibrugarh) and a gas compressor station at Makum (Tinsukia). In a major boost to Aatmanirbhar Asom, he also virtually inaugurated Dhemaji Engineering College and laid the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College.
Addressing a huge rally at Silapathar in Dhemaji locality of eastern Assam, PM Modi, stated firmly that the north-eastern region would be the new engine for the country’s growth. He recalled the doyen of Assamese cinema (Jyotiprasad Agarwala) who made the first local movie titled Joymati in 1935. Modi also mentioned the cultural personalities of Assam like Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Dr Bhupen Hazarika with others who enhanced the cultural pride of Assam.
Criticizing the earlier Union governments in New Delhi for treating the region with step-motherly attitudes, Modi commented that in spite of the great potential across the region, those governments did not prioritize the requirements of connectivity, hospitals, educational institutions, industries for the people of north-eastern States. He asserted that the present government is working with the principle of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas to overcome the discrimination. Today, energy and education infrastructure projects worth more than rupees 3000 crores are launched here, said Modi adding that these projects would strengthen the identity of the region as a hub of energy and education.
Modi mentioned about Ujwala scheme for the poor women, electrification in almost 18,000 villages of the region, Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Yojana, etc and declared that a strong talent pool of the country’s scientists, engineers and technicians plays a major role in giving impetus to Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The government is working to create an environment where the youth can solve the problems with start-ups, he added.
“Assam is known worldwide for its tea, tourism and handlooms. Self-Reliance will increase the strength and capabilities of its residents. Tea production will strengthen the vision of a self-reliant Assam,” said Modi adding that in this year’s budget, a provision has been made to open hundreds of Eklavya model schools in tribal areas, which would benefit Assam too.
Speaking on the occasion, State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal also criticized the previous Congress governments for neglecting the north bank of might river Brahmaputra. But since Modi has taken charge in New Delhi (2014), the situation has drastically changed for the development of Assam as well as the entire region, he added. Sonowal claimed that the State government had been working for a corruption, insurgency and pollution-free Assam.
State finance, education, health etc minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pointed out that the government has established new engineering colleges at Dhemaji and Golaghat. At the same time, engineering colleges at Sualkuchi, Bongaigaon, Bihali, Udalguri, Nalbari and Nagaon are coming up soon. Similarly, new medical colleges at Dhubri,Nagaon, Nalbari, Tinsukia, Diphu, Lakhimpur, Charaideo and Biswanath have also come up, he added.
Union petroleum & natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan in his speech claimed that recent investments to the tune of 95 corers in the petroleum sector of Assam became possible because of Modi’s goodwill. In presence of State Governor professor Jagdish Mukhi, Union food processing minister Rameswar Teli, State ministers Atul Bora, Keshav Mahanta with a number of other dignitaries, Pradhan revealed that oil royalty worth rupees six thousand crores were already released to Assam.
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