Jyotiraditya Scindia Holds Talks with Assam CM on Northeast Development

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, met with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Friday. The high-level meeting focused on streamlining regional supply chains and ramping up investment in critical infrastructure, power, and last-mile connectivity.

Describing the meeting as “very productive,” Chief Minister Sarma posted on X (formerly Twitter) that both sides reviewed ongoing projects and agreed to collaborate on multiple fronts to unlock Assam's untapped economic potential.

“Just concluded a very productive review meeting with Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @JMScindia Ji and officials from @MDoNERIndia and Team Assam,” CM Sarma wrote, adding that the discussions were aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s transformative vision for the Northeast.

Just concluded a very productive review meeting with Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @JM_Scindia Ji and officials from @MDoNER_India and Team Assam.

The Ministry is working on a 5 Point Framework to realise Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision of transforming our… pic.twitter.com/IdWmThXgXG

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 16, 2025

At the core of the meeting was a five-point framework presented by the Ministry of DoNER to drive sustainable and saturation-based development across Assam and the broader Northeast. As part of this roadmap, the state and Centre will work together to promote:

Muga silk production, leveraging Assam’s global leadership in the golden silk

Palm oil and agarwood cultivation, with an aim to boost agro-based industries

Tourism development, by tapping into the region’s cultural and natural richness

Vibrant Villages Programme, focusing on transforming border villages into growth hubs

The roadmap also includes measures to streamline logistics and reduce the high cost of power — longstanding bottlenecks to Northeast India's growth. CM Sarma urged the ministry to fast-track solutions to these challenges to fully capitalise on the region’s strategic location and resources.

Union Minister Scindia echoed the commitment, stating that the discussions focused on catalyzing growth in key sectors such as tourism, agro-products, and textiles, while prioritizing sustainable and inclusive development.

“Together, we are committed to accelerating inclusive and sustainable growth in Assam and the Northeastern region,” Scindia posted on X.

Held a productive review meeting of @MDoNER_India projects with Hon’ble CM of Assam Shri @himantabiswa Ji.

Discussions focused on accelerating growth in key sectors including tourism, agro-products, and textiles, and driving saturation-based development in Vibrant Villages.… pic.twitter.com/gelPDiXJeN

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) May 16, 2025

The Assam Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed that the presentation from DoNER offered a detailed development roadmap. It added that the state government emphasized the urgent need to resolve hurdles in connectivity, transportation, and energy costs to unlock the full economic potential of Assam and its neighbouring states.