Invest in Assam, witness change: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today appealed to investors to invest in Assam, which is witnessing a change, signalling the emergence of a new India.
Addressing the first-ever Global Investors Summit in Assam, the Union Electronics and IT minister said, "I see a lot of passion in the people of the North east region. No more 'lahe lahe' (slowly slowly). That image is changing to 'faster and faster'. Assam is growing. Keep it up, a bright future awaits you".
He also asked the investors to "hand-hold the North East Region and guide them", while inaugurating a number of IT-based projects.

Stating that all youths across the country have similar dreams, he said, BPOs were now operating from Nagaland and getting contracts from Australia.
If youths in Kokrajhar district (in Assam) were asking for setting up of BPOs for development, it meant emergence of a new India, he said.
In this connection, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said permission for five BPOs has been granted by the Centre.

The BPOs would be set up at Diphu, Majuli Island, Nagaon, Silchar and Kokrajhar.
The Union minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated that if the North East region was not developed, then India would lag behind.

"Guwahati must become the gateway to ASEAN countries," he said.
On the PM's push for Digital India, he said it is designed to empower ordinary Indians with the power of technology.
Prasad recommended that the state government use the Umang app so that people get 1,200 services at the click of a button. "Load Assam's services for Indians to see the services available in the state".
Speaking on the Rs 119.89-crore Tech City Electronic Manufacturing Cluster on 100 acres in Guwahati, projected to provide employment opportunities to 8,000 people, Prasad said, "We gave some funds and Assam Government contributed the rest".

One power company has come forward to invest Rs 86 crore in the Cluster to produce electronic items for the markets of ASEAN countries and push them there, he said.
Pointing out that only two mobile manufacturing companies were producing hand sets in the country till a few years back, he said today there are 115 such mobile phone manufacturing plants across the country.
Digitally inaugurating the National Internet Exchange of India point near Guwahati, the union minister said NIXI will be a mode for domestic internet traffic from Guwahati today for the North East region making the internet service here more effective without depending on places outside the region.

Also inaugurating an NIC Excellence Cyber Security centre here, Prasad said it is very important as some try to abuse the system.
The minister also launched a Microwave Tea Drying Technology for tea, agricultural products and bakery industry along with a Universal Moisture Metre for grains, pulses, construction material, fertilisers, food sector, etc., and a Radio Frequency Disinfection Technology System for tea, grains, etc.
Sonowal also added that Assam and the North East region is a potential zone for tourism with "better oxygen", water biodiversity and nature.
Top global IT giant companies such as Microsoft, IBM, C-DACT also participated in the programme.