Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates Advantage Assam 2.0

Guwahati, Feb 25, 2025, By Our Correspondent

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment & Infrastructure Summit 2025 in Guwahati, Assam today. Welcoming all the dignitaries to the event, Shri Modi said “East India and North East India are embarking on a new journey of future today and Advantage Assam is a mega initiative to intertwine the incredible potential and progress of Assam with the world”. He added that history is a witness to the major role played by Eastern India in India’s prosperity. Expressing hope, the Prime Minister said, “Today, when we are progressing towards Viksit Bharat, Eastern India and North East will display their true potential”.  He said that Advantage Assam was a representation of the same spirit and congratulated the Government and Chief Minister of Assam for organising such a grand event. He recalled his words from 2013, when he had said that it was not very far when ‘A for Assam’ would be the norm.“Despite global uncertainties, experts unanimously agree on one certainty: India's rapid growth”, said the Prime Minister. He emphasized that today's India is working with a long-term vision for the next 25 years of this century. He highlighted that the world has immense trust in India's young population, which is rapidly becoming skilled and innovative. He also noted the growing confidence in India's neo-middle class, emerging from poverty with new aspirations. Underscoring the trust the world places in India's 140 crore people who support political stability and policy continuity, Shri Modi highlighted India's governance that continues to implement reforms. Furthermore, he pointed out that India is strengthening its local supply chains and entering free trade agreements with various global regions. He also mentioned the robust connectivity with East Asia and the new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, bringing new opportunities.Highlighting the growing global trust in India, as witnessed by the gathering in Assam, Shri Modi remarked, “Assam's contribution to India's growth is steadily increasing”. He noted that the first edition of the Advantage Assam Summit was held in 2018, at which time Assam's economy was valued at ₹2.75 lakh crore. Today, Assam has become a state with an economy of approximately ₹6 lakh crore, he added, emphasizing that under their government, Assam's economy has doubled in just six years. Furthermore, he said that this is the double effect of their Governments at the Center and the state. The numerous investments in Assam have turned it into a state of unlimited possibilities, he stated. The Prime Minister highlighted that the Assam government is focusing on education, skill development, and creating a better investment environment. He noted that their Government had worked extensively on connectivity-related infrastructure in recent years. He provided an example, stating that before 2014, there were only three bridges over the Brahmaputra river, built over 70 years. However, in the past 10 years, four new bridges have been constructed. One of these bridges is named after Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika. Shri Modi remarked that between 2009 and 2014, Assam received an average rail budget of ₹2,100 crore but their Government increased Assam's railway budget more than four times to ₹10,000 crore. He added that over 60 railway stations in Assam are being modernized and also mentioned that the first semi high-speed train in the North East is now operational between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri