Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the 71st Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) on January 19 in his capacity as a member of the council. During the meeting, he urged the Centre to formulate a new industrial policy for the Northeast, aiming to attract more private investors to the region.
Expressing gratitude to the current administration at the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Sarma acknowledged the relentless measures taken for the socioeconomic growth and development of the Northeastern region. He highlighted the transformative journey embarked upon by the Northeast, attributing it to the continued focus of the central government.
Himanta Biswa Sarma cited the Multidimensional Poverty Index 2024, recently published by the NITI Aayog, revealing a significant decline in Assam’s multidimensional poverty from 36.97% in 2013-14 to 14.47% in 2022-23. Over the past nine years, this decline lifted around 80 lakh people in the state out of poverty.
The Chief Minister attributed the positive developments in the state to the prevailing climate of general peace over the last couple of years. He expressed confidence in significant growth in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the next financial year.
Regarding measures to improve Assam’s standing in the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) rankings, CM Sarma emphasized a conducive investment climate in the state, resulting in significant investments in recent years.
Regarding security issues, the Chief Minister highlighted the return of peace to Assam, with zero casualties among security personnel and civilians last year. He expressed hope that the Centre would consider repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act entirely from the state and mentioned progress in resolving border disputes with neighbouring states.
CM Sarma also discussed improvements in the crime scenario, particularly “crime against women,” with a notable reduction in cases. He outlined ongoing infrastructure development projects and a special emphasis on school infrastructure development under various schemes.
The Chief Minister addressed Assam’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency (Atmanirbharta) in areas such as fish, egg, and milk production. The plenary, held in Shillong, included the presence of Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, who chairs the NEC, and other dignitaries.
Later in the day, CM Sarma participated in the 11th Meeting of the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC) Society at the same venue, attended by Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, DoNER Minister G. Kishan Reddy, NESAC Vice-President, and ISRO Chairman S Somnath.
