Guwahati, Feb 3: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the highly anticipated “Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment and Infrastructure Summit” is a resounding success.
While in New Delhi to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the February 5 elections, Sarma met with key members of the Union Cabinet on Monday to discuss the summit and bolster ties with the Centre.
As campaigning for the Delhi polls concluded, the Chief Minister held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, and DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Sarma expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for the announcement of a new urea plant in Namrup, which he described as a potential game-changer for Assam's development.
In a post on social media, Sarma thanked the Prime Minister for his invaluable guidance on the upcoming summit. “I received valuable guidance from Hon’ble Prime Minister on the upcoming #AdvantageAssam2 Summit and the Mega Jhumoor performance,” Sarma wrote, also expressing excitement about the Prime Minister’s planned visit to Assam in the coming days.
The Chief Minister also revealed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has agreed to chair the valedictory session of the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, which is scheduled to begin on February 25.
Furthermore, Minister Scindia will lead a session focused on the role of I-Ways in Viksit Assam, a discussion centred on Assam’s digital transformation.
“I congratulated Hon’ble Union Minister Smt. @nsitharaman Ji for presenting one of the finest budgets in India’s history,” Sarma wrote, praising the Finance Minister for crafting a budget that prioritises the middle class and small businesses.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (left) and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (right) (Photo: @himantabiswa/ X)
During his meeting with Minister Scindia, Sarma noted that the “I-Ways in Viksit Assam” session will bring together top experts from the communication and tech industries to help formulate a state-specific strategy for building information highways in Assam.
DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia (left) and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (right) (Photo: @himantabiswa/ X)
Sarma’s discussions with Minister Puri were focused on Assam’s energy potential. “We spoke at length on how Assam had an early mover advantage in the oil industry, but the full potential remains untapped,” Sarma shared in his social media post.
Suri will lead a session on Hydrocarbons and Energy during the summit, aimed at exploring ways to tap into the state's energy sector potential.
The upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 summit is designed to foster a strong business ecosystem in the state by simplifying access to capital, reducing bureaucratic red tape, and promoting innovation in key sectors such as manufacturing, information technology, renewable energy, and tourism.