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Foundation
of State’s first 5-star hotel laid
Guwahati,
March 10:
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday unveiled the foundation
stone of the State’s first five-star hotel Vivanta, a venture by
Tata group, in the presence of Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Sons,
RK Krishna Kumar, vice chairman of Indian Hotels Company
Limited, Rockybul Hussain, Minister of Forest, Environment and
Tourism, Government of Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, Minister of
Power and Industries, Government of Assam and a host of
dignitaries. Gogoi, while lauding the introduction of Tata’s
brand Taj, one of Asia’s largest chains of hotels in the region,
said that this initiative will encourage more investment in the
State which is concentrating on creating a congenial atmosphere
for business activities. Located on a 4.5-acre site on the busy
GS Road, this hotel with 150 rooms and suites to be built with a
design theme inspired by local architecture, will cater to a
target clientele of business and leisure travellers. Speaking on
the occasion, Ratan Tata pledged his commitment towards the
development of the State and observed that the State had immense
potential for business and tourism and it has to attract more
industrialists and tourists. Taj group which has been in
partnership promoting the prized fauna and flora of the country
by taking backpackers on conducted tours of the wildlife
circuits is keen to start the same in the region. R.K Krishna
Kumar, while appreciating the business opportunities and
improved connectivity here, said that the group was eager to
start Taj Safari, and provide the ultimate experience of the
rich wildlife in the region to all visitors. Rockybul Hussain
said that the Taj group’s venture in the region will boost
tourism activities as well as ensure sustainable economic growth
and livelihood development.
Top
industrialists keen to invest in State
Guwahati,
March 10:
“We are here drawn by the opportunities of the region that had
by and large not been getting attention…we are here by choice
and keen to invest.” This emphatic assertion by Ratan Tata,
chairman of Tata Group, summed up the buoyant mood of the first
sitting of the Assam Investment Advisory Board involving top
industrialists of the country. The unanimous message was that
the law and order situation of the State had improved and was no
longer a deterrent for investment. Later, the Tata Housing
Development Company Ltd (THDCL) signed two MoUs with the
Industries and Commerce Department and the Guwahati Metropolitan
Development Authority (GMDA). The MoUs relate to creation of
commercial spaces, IT parks and business hubs in the State. Tata,
who was addressing media persons along with a host of corporate
honchos besides Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Industry Minister
Pradyut Bardoloi, termed his visit to Guwahati as a ‘real eye
opener’, saying that he was surprised to see the changing face
of Guwahati. “Guwahati has changed a lot since my last visit…the
city bears evidences of prosperity,” he said. Tata said that in
addition to the group’s presence is agro business and tea, it
would like to make forays into new areas besides doing value
addition. Other members of the Board including BM Khaitan,
chairman, Eveready Industries, MS Banga of Hindustan Unilever,
Naina Lal Kidwai, CEO, HSBC Bank, VN Dhoot, chairman, Videocon
group, RK Krishna Kumar, Director, Tata group, OP Bhatt,
chairman, State Bank of India, HP Barooah, and representatives
from several top business entities, made a strong pitch for
investments in the State, while urging the State Government to
act as the facilitator besides addressing some of the problem
areas. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi sounded upbeat on a sustained
flow of investments following the summit, and said that such a
development would ensure all-round development of the State.“Top
industrialists are eager to invest in Assam, especially in rural
Assam, which will help achieve the goal of inclusive
development. The investments will come on wide-ranging areas
including tourism, education, health care, plantation, micro
finance, etc., the existing drawbacks such as power and
connectivity will be overcome, as a good beginning has been
made,” Gogoi said. Industries Minister Pradyut Bardoloi said
that the endeavour would go along way in establishing brand
Assam. “I am convinced the State will see lots of investments in
the coming days,” he said.
Cost of
deporting one foreigner: Rs 23.46 lakh
Guwahati,
March 10:The
Government is spending more than Rs 23.46 lakh for deportation
of one foreign national from Assam. This startling revelation
came out in the reply given by the Minister in charge of Assam
Accord Implementation, Dr Bhumidhar Barman in reply to a
question by Ramendra Narayan Kalita (AGP) in the Assembly today.
Dr Barman informed the House that during the period from 2000-01
to 2009-10, the Government spent an amount of Rs 4129.53 lakh on
the Foreigners Tribunals, but during the same period , only 176
foreigners could be deported from the State. He said that during
the period from 2001 to 2010, as many as 14,072 foreigners were
detected and only 176 of them could be deported, while, 55
persons declared as foreigners have been kept in detention
camps. During the same period, 2222 re-infiltrators were pushed
back. He said that the State PWD has completed 98 per cent of
the work of the portion of border fencing entrusted to it and
the job would be completed by the end of this month. The Accord
Implementation Minister today faced a number of questions on the
issue of detection and deportation of foreigners and in reply to
a question by Jyoti Prasad Das (AGP), he said that up to the end
of December, 2009, as many as 33,922 foreigners were missing.Dr
Barman said that at present, 32 tribunals set up under the
provisions of the Foreigners’ Act are functioning and the
Government has given approval for creation of four new
tribunals. He, however, admitted that at present, 13 tribunals
do not have Judges. He said that the Government has decided to
increase the upper age limit of the Judges of the tribunals to
67 to solve the problem of shortage of Judges. The Minister
admitted that very often, the persons declared as foreigners by
the tribunals manage to escape and to do away with the problem,
the Government has already decided to set up two detention
camps, one in Mankachar in Dhubri district and another in
Mahishashan in Karimganj district. |
