GUWAHATI: Good infrastructure is a prerequisite to attract investment and the Union government is committed to strengthen development and connectivity in Assam and the entire North Eastern Zone, said Union External affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar while interacting with media at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, here today.
He further said that India and Japan government are collaborating for enhancing skill development, business, and investment in 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 took Act East Policy to a higher level to expand the connectivity with South East Asia and the result is seen with numerous connectivity projects, economic flows and strategic cooperation, he further added.
Dr. Jaishankar said that the Trilateral highway project was on advance stage now and the government was also focusing on the development in aviation sector of the region.
He said that Assam could play a critical role in power, transportation sector for the North East zone. Commenting that Assam is a major player in producing refined petroleum products, the minister said government was working to facilitate the sale of the product to larger region. In this regard government is working on 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 zone with special focus to Assam. He further added that development of North East region was indispensable for India to become a 5 trillion economy.
He said that Japan is supporting various connectivity projects in Assam. In this regard a 20 Km river bridge will be constructed over Brahmaputra river which will connect Dhubri to Phulbari and this will be the longest river bridge of India.
The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal said the government proposed for setting up a Japanese industrial township in a 600-acre plot in Nagarbera of Assam which will in a long way will provide industrial development in the state and business for both the countries.