Guwahati, Feb 07, 2025, IANS

Guwahati, Feb 7 (IANS) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday asserted that Assam has enough potential to become a hub for tourism as the northeastern states are surrounded by four other nations -- Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Sarma argued that this fact also provides a huge opportunity to boost industry and commerce here and Assam can become a potential hub for investments. He said, “The state government is all set to hold a huge investment summit -- Advantage Assam to bring investment here. This event will open the window for industry and infrastructure in Assam.” The Chief Minister also claimed that Assam has gone through a massive change of development since the BJP came to power at the Centre. He said, “Unless one has been to Assam before 2014, one cannot comprehend the sheer scale of development which has taken place in the State in the last decade. Our efforts in maintaining peace have been complemented by infrastructure upgrades in all areas.” “There is a stark contrast between the Assam of 1980s and the Assam of today. Militancy is almost non-existent, crimes have fallen down drastically, women are safe on the streets, businesses and festivals can run 24 hours and much more,” the CM added. Notably, to give a boost to business in the state, a big investor summit -- Advantage Assam is set to be hosted in Guwahati in February. Sarma earlier said that this summit is set to bring more investments in the state. The CM mentioned that more government jobs and entrepreneurship support will be provided to the people of the state. He said that the event, which is set for February 25 and 26, would highlight the traditional Jhumur dance of the tea tribe clans. “This summit is a platform to showcase Assam's rich traditions to a global audience in addition to attracting investors,” he said. A spectacular Jhumur dance performance with more than 7,500 dancers and artists will be part of the event. It will be an extraordinary show, the Chief Minister said. He said that perfect execution will be ensured by master training workshops, constituency-level sessions, district-level performances, and final rehearsals in Guwahati. CM Sharma said that the goal of ‘Advantage Assam’, the second iteration of the international investor summit since its launch in 2018, is to increase infrastructure development and investment in the state.