Advantage Assam 2.0: Unveiling PM Modi’s itinerary, keynote sessions, diplomacy & more

Guwahati, Feb. 20: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Assam on February 24, will first witness the grand Jhumur performance at Sarusajai Stadium, followed by an exhibition at the Veterinary Field Ground in Khanapara later that evening.

Speaking at a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Sarma revealed that the Prime Minister has expressed his desire to spend about 40 to 45 minutes at the exhibition.

“The exhibition, designed to showcase Assam’s cultural heritage and future aspirations, will feature two key galleries. One, named ‘Pride of Assam’, will display the state’s products, while the other, ‘Future of Assam’, will highlight the state’s development and modernisation efforts,” said the Chief Minister.

Keynote sessions announced

The Chief Minister also outlined the detailed itinerary for the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment and Infrastructure Summit, which will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The two-day event will feature a series of important sessions, with Union Ministers delivering keynote speeches.

"One of the sessions, 'I-Way to Viksit Assam', will be chaired by Minister of DoNER Affairs Jyotiraditya Scindia, and telecom giants will be in attendance. Another significant session, 'Act East, Act Fast and Act First', will feature External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, with ambassadors from Singapore and Thailand also participating," Sarma said.

Additional keynotes will be delivered by Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on semiconductors, and Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri will discuss hydrocarbons.

The event will also feature sessions by Railways Minister Vaishnaw, Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and a valedictory session by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Sarma further informed that the summit will include thematic sessions focused on aerospace, defence, geospatial technology, and other avenues crucial to Assam’s development.

Diplomatic push

In a significant diplomatic move, Sarma announced that a record-breaking delegation of 35 heads of missions, accompanied by their spouses, will visit Assam and Kaziranga National Park on February 23.

The visit is aimed at showcasing Assam to world leaders and addressing travel advisories. The delegation, led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, will experience the World Heritage Site, Kaziranga.

Sarma also highlighted that this initiative is a step toward persuading foreign diplomats to reconsider travel advisories for Assam. "The internal purpose is to get travel advisories lifted," he explained.

He further shared that the Australian embassy had recently revised its travel advisories, allowing citizens to visit Assam, excluding districts under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Sarma expressed hopes that other countries, including Germany, would follow suit in modifying their advisories.