Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today asked ASEAN and Western countries to explore investment opportunities in his state and join its development process by setting up industries there.
At an interactive session with diplomats of more than 20 countries, he said the Assam government has been putting great emphasis on creating a business-friendly environment and bringing investments to the state.
The diplomats should explore the opportunities in the state for their entrepreneurs, he said.
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"Persistent efforts by the state government succeeded in bringing Rs 6,500 crore investment to Assam in the last one year. New policies, reforms, establishing new units of industry by famous brands have given new vibrancy to the industrial scene of the state," he told the ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats based in India.
Diplomats from Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Slovenia, Serbia, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Romania, Turkey, Afghanistan and Syria attended the event.
Sonowal also invited the diplomats to participate in the global investors summit 'Advantage Assam' to be held in Guwahati on February 3-4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it.
Referring to the Modi government's emphasis on 'Act East Policy', Sonowal said with a short span of time, the policy has turned the entire northeastern region into the centre of "New India's" growth vision and implementation.
"The huge emphasis on the comprehensive development of the region and better ways of governance have initiated a new era of development," he said.
During the interactive session, several diplomats sought to know about Assam government policies for the industries and how these would be beneficial to the entrepreneurs of their countries.
Sonowal said his government was "ready to welcome with open heart" all investors and creating positive environment and provide all assistance to them.
Later, talking to reporters, he said the global investors' summit has been named as 'Advantage Assam' due to the state's clean air, plenty of water, hospitable people, virgin lands and the state's possible role to serve as the gateway to the Eastern an the Northeastern India.
The state has identified a number of focus sectors, including agriculture and food processing, organic cultivation and bamboo, handloom, textile and handicrafts, inland water transport, port township and river front development and logistics.
Other focus areas include information technology and information technology enabled services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, plastics and petrochemicals, power, tourism, hospitality and wellness, petroleum and natural gas and civil aviation.
Sonowal said the Assam government has identified an 80 km stretch on the either side of national highways 37, 31 and 31A as an industrial corridor for setting up the industries.
The state government is also ready to offer 700 acres of land for setting up Japanese enclave for investors from that country.
The chief minister also held a separate meeting with aviation industry captains and highlighted Assam's geographical proximity to some of the fastest growing economies of the world in ASEAN and South East Asian countries and how the state can be a natural staging point for doing business with them and a potential air connectivity.
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