Skip to content Skip to navigation

Assam gateway to ASEAN countries: Sonowal

By AT News |

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the North -Eastern region now is fast emerging as the gateway to the 10 South East Asian Countries with immense potential of being the sunrise area of India’s economy.

Participating in a Conclave East 2017 in Kolkata on Friday, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the region with its immense potential is poised to be new growth engine and the launch pad of India’s presence in the ASEAN countries. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reiteration of North East being Asta Laxmi, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the perfect alignment between the Central and State Government, Assam is now ready to lead the league of eight north eastern states and corroborate the Centre’s act east through India’s north-eastern region.

Sonowal also said that he being in the helm of affairs, is trying to wipe out all administrative loopholes to spearhead a perfect ambience for development in Assam and create a congenial atmosphere for development in other north-eastern states.

Sonowal said that Assam has been prone to flood since 1951. The state gets only six month time to work on its construction activities and as a result quality construction gets delayed. However, the State government has charted out modus operandi  to expedite construction activities to complement state’s development.

He however, said that for the permanent solution of the perennial flood in Assam, the Centre under the directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has constituted an expert committee with the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog as its head to study the overall problem of flood taking into cognizance international reasons contributing to flood in Assam.

Moreover, on the issue of economic development Chief Minister Sonowal said that his government is  taking Assam to new frontiers. The state has immense natural beauty. Perhaps the last frontier which the Indian and international tourists would prefer to visit. The mighty Brahmaputra and the Barak, national parks and ten game sanctuaries, the lush green tea gardens, golf course, the hills are just a few examples of awesome Assam.

Coupled with awesome, Assam is now poised to take the geo strategic locational advantage of the State, the advantage of being the only place which has road routes to ASEAN through Myanmar and Thailand.  The advantage of being the hub for a population of 80 crores- the advantage of being blessed with water ways of Brahmaputra and the Barak, the eco-friendly, eco logically sustainable transportation route. The advantage of having young, educated, extremely productive youth, the advantage of being blessed with sprawling tea industry amidst enchanting meadows, the advantage of being one of the few states with an integrated petroleum industry- the upstream, the downstream and the petrochemical capacities. And finally, the advantage of showing to India, the way forward for a raw India by being its new engine.

In this backdrop, Assam is all set to organise the Global Investors’ Summit on 3 and 4 February, 2017 to woo the investors to invest in Assam, Sonowal professed. 

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org
  • 6608 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Assam’s Move for OIL Stake Sparks Debate

Guwahati, Feb 28: The Assam government’s decision to seek a 5 per cent stake in Oil India Limited (OIL) has triggered discussion on the State’s long-term approach to the oil and gas sector in the Northeast. The proposal, under which Assam has sought a minority share in OIL — where the Government of India holds 56 per cent — will be examined by the Centre, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the State is extending full cooperation to oil sector companies and urged that shares be allocated to Assam to support smoother functioning and stronger coordination. Reacting to the development, Shantikam Hazarika — former Chairman of...

Citizen Flags Data, Nutrition Gaps in HPV Vaccination Drive

New Delhi, March 1: Concerns have been raised over the national HPV vaccination campaign launched on February 28, 2026, with a citizen questioning its scientific basis, operational preparedness, and public health prioritisation. In a public statement, Donthi N. Reddy said that not a single state has published baseline data on cervical cancer incidence or HPV prevalence prior to the rollout. Without such baseline indicators, he argued, outcomes cannot be measured, and without measurable outcomes, the reported annual expenditure of ₹1,300 crore cannot be properly evaluated. The campaign involves administration of the HPV vaccine Gardasil-4 to 14-year-old girls across the country, aiming...

NEADS Assam Participates in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development at UNESCAP

North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, participated in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) from 24–27 February, 2026, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of NEADS, represented the organisation at the Forum. He also participated in his capacity as the Constituency Focal Point for People Affected by Conflicts and Disasters and as a Regional Coordinating Committee Member of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). During...

APCC Files ‘Chargesheet 2026’ Against BJP-Led Assam Government in ‘People’s Court’

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Wednesday submitted a detailed “Chargesheet 2026” against the BJP-led Assam government, symbolically placing it before what it termed the “People’s Court of Assam.” The chargesheet targets the government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, covering the period from May 10, 2021 to February 18, 2026. In a press briefing in Guwahati, APCC leaders alleged large-scale corruption, economic mismanagement, constitutional violations, and failure to protect the rights of indigenous communities. The document lists 20 major charges, including the alleged operation of a “syndicate raj,” accumulation of illegal wealth, rising public debt, and...

33 Dead in Meghalaya Illegal Mine Blast; Judicial Commission Formed

Shillong, February 16, 2026: The death toll in the devastating explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills has risen to 33, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma confirmed on Monday during a suo-motu statement in the State Assembly. The tragedy occurred on the morning of February 5 in the remote Mynsngat-Thangsko area, where an illegal “rat-hole” coal mine reportedly exploded, allegedly due to the unauthorized use of explosives inside narrow underground tunnels. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and prompted the state government to constitute a high-level Judicial Commission of Inquiry.   Initial rescue operations carried out by the NDRF, SDRF and...

SIT “Flop Show” Explodes: Gogoi Takes On Himanta, Puts 2026 in Play

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday launched a sharp counter-offensive against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling the much-hyped SIT report a “super flop” and accusing the CM of staging six months of political drama to divert attention from land and corruption allegations. Addressing a packed press conference at Rajiv Bhawan, Gogoi said the Chief Minister had kept the SIT report for six months, only to unveil it through a “manufactured spectacle” involving national media, which ultimately failed to produce a single piece of evidence against him. “He swung a mace in the air, but there was nothing in his hands,” Gogoi said. Flanked by MPs...

Nazira Dairy Project Collapses Amid Allegations of Mismanagement, Livelihoods Hit

A multi-crore dairy project at Sanbasa in Nazira has collapsed amid serious allegations of financial irregularities and internal mismanagement, dealing a severe blow to rural livelihoods in the area. The Sundarpukhuri Dairy Cooperative Society, formed by local farmers under the initiative of Dr. Jagadish Barman, once served as a crucial source of income for over 245 Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The cooperative reportedly contributed nearly ₹1 crore annually to the local rural economy. As part of its expansion, the cooperative launched its own marketing network under the brand name “Kareng” and set up a milk pasteurization plant at Sanbasa village. However, internal disputes...

Worse Than C-Grade Cinema’: Gogoi Attacks Assam CM

Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a recent press conference, dismissing it as “worse than a C-grade cinema” and accusing the Chief Minister of making baseless and sensational claims. The Chief Minister, however, maintained that the allegations involving Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi—wife of Gaurav Gogoi—were serious in nature and should not be treated lightly. Addressing the media, CM Sarma said the matter assumed greater significance as it involved a sitting Member of Parliament. “These are grave allegations. When a sitting MP, who...

Handique Girls’ College to Confer 3rd Rajabala Das National Award on Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty

Handique Girls’ College will confer the 3rd Rajabala Das National Award on noted author and senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, President of the Press Club of India, in recognition of her significant contributions to society and journalism. The award will be presented on March 8, 2026, at a special function to be held on the college campus. On the occasion, the Rajabala Das Memorial Annual Lecture will be delivered by eminent journalist and thinker Prasanta Rajguru, Editor-in-Chief of Prag News. Instituted in 2024, the Rajabala Das National Award is conferred annually on a personality of national stature who has made outstanding contributions to society. The award includes a...

APCC Holds Press Conference Alleging Irregularities Against Assam CM

Guwahati, 4 February: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Tuesday held a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan, during which party leaders made a series of allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and launched an online platform to collect information related to their claims. The press conference was attended by former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress election observer Bhupesh Baghel, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh, APCC President Gaurav Gogoi, and other senior party leaders. During the event, a video titled “Who Is Himanta Biswa Sarma?” was released, followed by the launch of a QR-code-enabled template...