GUWAHATI: Union external affairs minister S. Jaishankar has urged Assam to create an enabling environment of improved infrastructure and connectivity besides training human resources that appeal to Japanese investors and companies and attract them to the state.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Jaishankar stressed on improving infrastructure like roads, railways, bridges and waterways for resources to come to Assam and goods to leave the state.
“For Assam to attract more Japanese investments, the state has to create an enabling infrastructure that suits Japanese businesses. You need to have trained manpower that can respond to their requirements,” he said.
The Union minister further said that industrial infrastructure and townships with which Japanese companies are comfortable with would certainly interest more and more investors from that country to invest in Assam.
“Good infrastructure is required to attract investment in the state and the Union government is committed to strengthen development and connectivity in Assam and the entire North Eastern zone,” Jaishankar said.
“Besides, I also feel that more discussions and sessions are needed with Japanese companies so that the plus points of Assam can be shared with them,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar along with the Ambassador of Japan to India, Satoshi Suzuki reviewed the progress of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded Guwahati water supply project site along the Brahmaputra here.
The Union minister further said that India and Japan are collaborating to enhance skill development, business and investment in a robust manner.
“The visit of the Ambassador of Japan to India, Satoshi Suzuki to Assam reflects how the Indo-Japan partnership can make a difference in India and more specifically towards the development of Assam,” he added.
“The Union government has taken Act East Policy to a higher level to expand the connectivity with South East Asia and the result is there to be seen with numerous connectivity projects, economic flows and strategic cooperation,” he further added.
Mentioning that the government is focusing on strengthening connectivity, Jaishankar said that the trilateral highway project is in an advanced stage now and the government was also focusing on the development in the aviation sector of the region.
He said that Assam could play a critical role in the power and transportation sector of the Northeast zone. The minister asserted that Assam is a major player in producing refined petroleum products and the government is working to facilitate the sale of the product to larger regions. In this regard, the government is working on a pipeline to supply diesel to Bangladesh, he added.
Addressing the media, the Ambassador of Japan to India, Satoshi Suzuki said that Japan and India were collaborating for the development of Northeast with special focus on Assam. He further added that development of the Northeast region was indispensable for India to become a five trillion economy.
“Japan is supporting various connectivity projects in Assam. In this regard, a 20-km river bridge will be constructed over the Brahmaputra river which will connect Dhubri to Phulbari and this will be the longest river bridge of India,” he said.