New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that he has appealed to the Centre to make Assam a Defence Corridor. “More than 50 per cent of the defence ammunition was procured for the northeastern States. We have appealed to the Centre to make Assam a supply chain for defence equipment by making it a Defence Corridor,” he said and added, “If any threat comes to the Chicken Neck, also known as the Siliguri Corridor, all the defence equipment should be available in Assam.”
Sarma's statement assumes significance following reports that Pakistan and Bangladesh-based forces inimical to India’s security have been trying to destabilise the northeastern region by disrupting the supply chain at the Chicken Neck, which connects the northeast with the rest of India.
“Assam can be a Defence Corridor. We have demand as well as requirements,” said Sarma. “Maximum deployment of the army is in Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast. In fact, after Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Assam should be the third Defence Corridor,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that his government is actively engaged in discussion with the Ministry of Defence for the declaration of the adjoining areas of Guwahati towards Nagaon as a Defence Corridor. Sarma was talking to the reports on the sideline of a programme coinciding with the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit scheduled to be held in Guwahati in February.
Sarma urged 36 ambassadors, high commissioners of ASEAN, BIMSTEC, European and other countries, industry captains and other stakeholders to come and invest in Assam.
“Assam has been making rapid progress in infrastructure, health, education and other sectors in the past 10 years. The thrust of his government has been all along on clean and green energy and renewable energy. My government desires that all industries coming up in Assam draw their energy from green power sources, including the Tata semiconductor plant at Jagiroad,” he said to the diplomats from 36 countries, industry leaders and other stakeholders.
The Chief Minister said that his government has given much emphasis on skill development with the North East Skill Centre imparting skills to 10,000 youths. Sarma also dwelt at length on the conservation success stories of Kaziranga and Manas National Parks as well as natural resources, besides the preservation of rich heritage.
The Chief Minister appealed to the diplomats to come to Assam on February 24, a day before the Advantage Assam Summit 2.0 to witness the biggest spectacle of Jhumur dance to be performed by 8,000 dancers, an event to be witnessed by the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.
“I appeal to you to come on February 24 to witness the Jhumur dance to feel the cultural vibrancy and youthfulness of Assam,” he said.
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