Assam Day celebrated at 43rd India International Trade Fair 2024

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 22, 2024

Assam Day was celebrated at the ongoing 43rd India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2024 here on Friday.

Various cultural dance forms like Satriya dance, Bihu dance, Karbi and Tiwa folk dance showcasing the rich cultural heritage and diversity of Assam were performed. Singing sensation Madhab Ranjan Gogoi regaled the audience with his beautiful renditions at Amphitheatre 1 at Bharat Mandapam.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Public Enterprises and Cultural Affairs Departments, Govt of Assam, Bimal Borah said: “Assam has seen significant strides on the development front under the able leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the then Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal. The state has attracted investments to the tune of several lakh crores, including the Rs.27,000 crore semiconductor unit at Jagiroad, 13,000 crore MoUs with reputed companies, the over Rs 7,000 crore Greenfield project et al.”

The Minister said that an international investors summit 2.0 will be held in Guwahati in February next year.

The Minister praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for all out efforts to accelerate the pace of development in the state and the Northeast as a whole. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s various initiatives such as Make in India, Start Up India, Digital India and skill development has brought about transformation in Assam and other parts of the country,” he added.

The Minister has made much effort to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the state and to highlight its strengths in different sectors be it industry and tourism, in the fair.

MP, Dilip Saikia said Assam is making progress at a rapid pace and will soon join the league of five developed states in the country. Saikia said in sync with the Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat@2047, Assam is also marching triumphantly towards a Viksit Assam (developed state).

Saikia further said no Prime Minister ever has given so much importance to Assam and the Northeast region than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Today the MSME sector is growing at a fast pace and contributing significantly to the development of Assam and the country as a whole,” quipped Saikia..

Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam, Indira Kalita delivered the welcome address. MD, AIDC, Manabendra Pratap Singh, Vice Chairman, AIDC, Navadeep Kalita and OSD, Assam Bhawan, New Delhi, Vaishali Nayak were present on the occasion.

Earlier, accompanied by Pavilion Director, Debajit Phukan and senior officials, Minister Borah went round the various stalls in the Assam Pavilion and interacted with the officials and employees of government departments and PSUs.

As many as seven Government Departments and PSUs including DIPR, Tourism, NEDFi, AIDC, AGMC, Directorate of Tea, Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, 37 MSME units and start-ups participating in the fair are showcasing a wide array of products from handloom and textiles to water hyacinth and from tea to brass metal.

One of the highlights of the Assam Pavilion is the stall on Agar and its derivatives by MJI Perfumes – Assam’s first licensed manufacturing cum retail unit for perfume and agar. Under the Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy 2020, the state government supports Agar cultivation and its downstream industries from perfumes to critical chemical Ingredients used in medicines, etc.

The Assam Pavilion was inaugurated by Additional Secretary, Industries and Commerce and MD, AIIDC Ltd., Dr.P. Uday Praveen on November 14.

This year’s event titled ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’, provides an ideal platform for Assam to showcase the vision of a ‘Viksit Assam@2047’ (Developed Assam 2047) by focusing on strong industrial growth and development, forward-looking initiatives and transformational policies in the state. 

The Assam Pavilion highlights the state’s progress in various sectors including manufacturing, technology, tourism, and infrastructure, as well as its vision to transform into a major economic hub in Eastern India.  Visitors get to know about Assam’s unprecedented development journey and its slew of future initiatives such as development of advanced semiconductor facilities aimed at making the state a leader in high technology manufacturing, creating skilled employment opportunities and supporting technological growth.

The Pavilion also highlights the state’s emphasis on the renewable energy sector, the establishment of the Unity Mall project to promote ODOP, and the government’s initiatives in the field of healthcare to improve accessibility among the entire community. It also presents schemes and policies aimed at aligning the development of Assam with the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat@2047.

The 43rd IITF being organised by the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) in the national capital will come to a close on November 27.