The 76th Republic Day celebrations in Assam was historic this year as for the first time the celebrations were held simultaneously in Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
In Guwahati, the celebration took place at the Veterinary Playground, where the Governor of Assam Lakshman Prasad Acharya attended and highlighted the progress made by the State in various sectors, emphasizing its contribution to India’s growth and the importance of preserving its rich cultural heritage.
“The past year has witnessed remarkable progress in peacebuilding, infrastructure, social welfare, economic development, and environmental conservation. Our focus remains on inclusive governance, ensuring that the benefits of development reach every citizen, from the remotest villages to our vibrant urban centre,” said the Governor.
The Governor in his address referred to Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product which has grown at an average rate of 13.33%. “For FY 2023-24, the GSDP is projected at ₹5,70,243 crore, reflecting a remarkable 19.10% growth, compared to the national average of 9.6%. The Per Capita Income for the same year is estimated at ₹1,58,807, marking an 18% increase from the previous year,” the Governor said.
He also mentioned that Assam is one of the first States to integrate Sustainable Development Goals into its development plans, launching the Assam Agenda 2030. “The State has steadily improved its performance, moving from “Aspirant” to “Front Runner” in the SDG India Index. Assam has achieved its target for Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), with the highest score of 100 in the country,” he mentioned.
The Governor referred to the efforts of Assam Police and the Government in bringing peace in the State.
He referred to the launch of Mission Basundhara 3.0 with new services.
On health, he referred to the establishment of 50-bed Ayurvedic Hospitals in Majuli and Goalpara, along with four AYUSH hospitals in Kokrajhar, Baksa, Morigaon, and Kaliabor, and a new Ayurvedic College in Goalpara.
The construction of more than 250 secondary schools, 100 Tea Garden Model Schools and 118 Model High Schools in Tea Garden Areas attracted the Governor’s attention.
Acharya informed the gathering that in terms of drinking water & sanitation, Assam has reached about 80% household coverage. Additionally, more than 95% of schools and 90% of Anganwadis in rural areas are equipped with running water facilities.
The achievement of the State-run APDCL found mention in his speech. He said that with a collective net worth of approximately ₹20,000 crore, the power utility corporation has successfully ensured 24-hour power supply for the last three years, demonstrating reliability and efficiency.
Construction of about 19.5 lakh pucca houses till December 2024 and the fact that over 1.03 Lakh households have found over 90 days of employment under MGNREGA so far had the Governor praising the achievements of P&RD Department in Assam.
He said that under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, ₹1,374 crore was distributed to 18.87 lakh e-KYC-verified farmers in 2024, a 14% increase in beneficiaries due to targeted campaigns. With 2.5 million fishers contributing to its ranking as 4th in inland fish production in India. Fish production reached 4.74 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24, up 27% from 2019-20.
“Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Assam has distributed 1.27 lakh MT of rice, benefiting 2.28 crore citizens across about 67 lakhs ration card holder families this December,” he highlighted in his speech.
Mentioning specifically, the Tata Group’s ₹27,000 crore semiconductor facility at Jagiroad, Acharya said that continued efforts to attract mega investments in the State have resulted in MoUs for 28 units with a proposed investment of ₹14,800 crore, creating over 21,000 jobs.
He praised Assam for achieving 2nd and 3rd rank among top States for grievance disposal until November 2024.
He also referred to operationalization of 39 Co-Districts to enhance administrative efficiency and bring governance closer to citizens.
