GUWAHATI: Netherlands Ambassador to India Alphonsus Stoelinga called on Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday with a group of representatives from corporate houses from that country and presented different business propositions in a meeting held at Brahmaputra State Guest House in the city.
Possible investments and collaborations in the health sector, infrastructure development, water and flood management, waterways navigation, shipping, agriculture, solar power generation, rural electrification etc., were discussed in the meeting where the companies offered to help with their expertise.
Saying that Assam needs Dutch expertise in managing flood and erosion caused by River Brahmaputra and its tributaries in the state, Chief Minister Sonowal invited the Dutch companies to come and collaborate with the state government in infrastructure development projects and flood management. He also said that river dredging is another matter where the state would benefit from Dutch technology and knowhow.
The chief minister also invited the Dutch Ambassador to set up a consulate office at Guwahati and post an officer here for liaising with the state government and exploring business possibilities which can benefit both Netherlands and Assam. Food processing and cold storage management for agricultural products of the state is one key area where Dutch companies can extend their expertise and he invited the Dutch company Kiremko come and set up base here for ginger and turmeric trade and make cold storage facilities here. He also offered to provide to suitable land for the purpose.
The company ARCADIS gave a presentation on the possible river bank beautification and jetty construction at North Brook Gate at the Brahmaputra River bank in Guwahati where sea planes along with cargo ships can land and invigorate the waterways connectivity in the state. The chief minister informed about the government plans to dredge Brahmaputra River from Sadiya to Dhubri and connect the waterways to Chittagong Port at Bangladesh. He also said that Inland Water Navigation Department would look into the prospects of collaborating with the Dutch company for river bank beautification project.
Public health sector is another key sector that state government is looking to modernise where Dutch companies like Philips and Ayursundra can help with their expertise. Brining modern equipments and infrastructure development would be vital points for developing the health sector of the state, he said. Likewise road infrastructure was another area of focus in the meeting and companies gave presentation on their expertise.
Keeping in tune with the state government’s vision to make Guwahati the sports capital of the country, the chief minister urged Dutch Sports Infrastructure India, a collaborative venture of different sports infrastructure companies of Netherland, to actively support the state government’s initiatives to build world class sports facilities in the state.
Hyet Solar, a company working in solar power generation sector, said that they are willing to invest € 200 million to set up a plant in the state to produce 200 MW of solar power and they also offered to tie up with local partners, financial institutions for the purpose. They also said they would look at the possibility of technology transfers to local partners and Government of Assam in the long run.