Assam government on September 12 announced infrastructure projects worth over Rs 10,000 crore, terming it the highest investment for infrastructure building made by the state government at one go.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “Investment of over Rs 11,900 crore has been planned in the state before March. The projects with state government funding will start before December, while for projects which have external funding also, we will try to launch before March next year.”
He claimed that this is the highest capital investment at one time announced by the Assam government ever.
Detailing the projects, Sarma, who also holds Health and Education departments, among others, said Rs 2,050 crore has been earmarked for setting up of four new medical colleges and hospitals.
Among these one would be at Guwahati, which will be the “biggest medical college and hospital in the entire eastern region” of the country, he added.
Further, construction of nine women colleges with approved funds of Rs 303 crore will commence within 45 days, while work for 6 new degree colleges with sanctioned amount of Rs 100 crore and 10 law colleges with approved funds of Rs 33 crore will also start within next two months, he said.
The minister, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD), said the department will be constructing ‘road corridors’ for the first time and Rs 2,626 crore has been sanctioned from state government accounts for building such fast-track roads in different parts of the state.
Plans for 12 more roads, involving a cost of over Rs 6,000 crore, have been drawn as part of ‘Assam Mala’ programme, for which external funding is being sought, Sarma said.
Moreover, a 4-km long flyover will be constructed at Maligaon area of Guwahati, while another flyover will come up at Mission Chariali in Tezpur in Sonitpur district, he added.
“The work in all these projects, except a few involving external funding, will start soon, with the chief minister laying foundation in many instances,” Sarma added.
