Centre has urged the Assam government to frame a holistic state export policy to boost the potential of the region. "Since Assam is an agrarian state, the potential of food processing sector is immense," Union Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia tells Assam Chief Secretary TY Das on Thursday.

Teaotia has asked the state government to frame a holistic export policy with focus on agri-based products and service sector like tourism, education, nursing and paramedical science, an official release said.

"Assam can be an educational hub for students from South East Asian nations and it would further create a pool of skilled manpower in nursing and paramedical sector which has a rising demand in European countries," said Teaotia.

The chief secretary informed that a multi-departmental monitoring committee would be constituted to examine and enhance the export figures in the state, the release said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Ravi Capoor said the department would soon prepare an export policy for Assam to boost trade and commerce in the state.

Assam's export items mainly includes black tea, oil and petroleum products and cement clinkers primarily to the UK, the USA, Germany, Egypt and Russia.

Along with a delegation from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Secretary had also interacted with stakeholders of export organisations and discussed issues of logistic, transportation, testing facility, banking and marketing.