Guwahati, Feb 26: Union Minister of Railways, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced the development of six additional Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, an electronics manufacturing sector and the introduction of new trains for Assam to accelerate economic growth in the region.
The projects are part of the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit held in Guwahati. The new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals will come up at Chaygaon, New Bongaigaon, Bihara, Hilara, Baihata and Rangjuli which will significantly enhance the region’s railway network.
Further bolstering connectivity, he confirmed that one Vande Bharat Express is already operational in the Northeast. While another Vande Bharat Express will be flagged off soon to connect Guwahati and Agartala, the two Amrit Bharat trains (between Guwahati-Delhi and Guwahati-Chennai) will also become operational this year, he said.
Besides, a railway engine midlife remanufacturing facility would be set up in Lumding and a Wagon Workshop at Bashbari in the Bodoland area at Rs 300 crore, the minister said. He also announced the development of a Greenfield Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Bongora, Kamrup, under the Electronics Manufacturing Scheme at a project cost of Rs 120 crore.
Additionally, he shared that the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) has been upgraded to a Deemed-to-be University, with plans to establish a campus in Jagiroad.
He unveiled plans for a new semiconductor plant in Assam, reinforcing the state’s growing role in electronics and semiconductor manufacturing. Additionally, he announced that Guwahati Railway Station would be transformed into a new IT hub, further strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure and industrialisation, Union Minister Vaishnaw described the North East as the “New Engine” for India’s development.
The Minister underscored the government’s success in constructing 1,824 km of new railway tracks in Assam and the North East since 2014. He also noted the commissioning of two Gati Shakti cargo terminals in Assam at Moinarband and Cinnamara. Vaishnaw emphasised the government’s plans to improve connectivity between Assam and Bhutan, opening up new opportunities for economic growth.
He reaffirmed the government’s dedication to infrastructure and industrial development in the North East, expressing confidence that Assam will soon emerge as a significant industrial hub. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the central government’s continuous support in fostering new initiatives in the state.
The Union Minister expressed optimism that Assam will become a key player in the global semiconductor ecosystem. During the session, the Government of Assam signed MoUs with 10 industry groups from the semiconductor ecosystem across Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan, in the presence of the Union Minister strengthening international partnerships and fostering investment in the state’s growing semiconductor industry.
Discussing India’s remarkable strides in electronics and mobile manufacturing, the Minister noted that over 98 per cent of mobile phones are now produced domestically.
IANS