Assam Emerges as Key Driver of 'Viksit Bharat' Vision: Jyotiraditya Scindia Proposes 'Advantage Bharat'

Assam has the potential and capability to play a crucial role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, stated Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. He emphasized Assam’s growing significance as a manufacturing and logistics powerhouse, calling it the "limitless land of possibilities."

Speaking at an event, Scindia suggested renaming Advantage Assam 2.0 to Advantage Bharat, highlighting India’s transformation under PM Modi’s leadership. He pointed out that while India’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) stands at 6.5-7%, Assam leads the Northeast with an impressive decadal growth rate of 12.6% and a remarkable 19.6% growth last year.

The Union Minister revealed that in the past decade, the Government of India (GoI) has contributed ₹5.22 lakh crore as Gross Budgetary Support for the Northeast, with ₹1.3 lakh crore allocated in the last fiscal year alone. Assam’s infrastructure is witnessing significant progress, with nearly ₹4,000 crore being invested in telecom and IT sectors. About ₹1,800 crore has been earmarked for expanding telecom connectivity to every village, ensuring 4G and 5G networks in rural areas.

Further strengthening Assam’s digital infrastructure, the state is set to get its third Data Centre and 5G Lab at Gauhati University, adding to the existing ones at IIT-Guwahati and NIT Silchar. Scindia also highlighted the establishment of the Northeast Data Centre last year under PM Modi’s leadership and announced plans for one of Asia’s largest hyper-scale data centres in Assam, covering 1 million sq ft.

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma presented two major proposals during the event: connecting 4,000 forest villages with telecom networks through a new law in collaboration with the Forest Department and laying an undersea cable from the Bay of Bengal to Assam via the Brahmaputra River.

Additionally, Assam is emerging as a key hub for semiconductor development, with the state poised to lead India’s future in the sector.

Also Read: Advantage Assam 2.0: CM Sarma Raises Two Crucial Issues With Jyotiraditya Scindia