There are times in the life of an individual when s/he almost claims the right to congratulate oneself and smile at one’s achievement. The outcome of Advantage Assam 2.0 has given me one such occasion. When we decided that there will be another investor summit to showcase our State to a Bharat that is self-reliant, progressing and rapidly fulfilling its destiny, we knew that we will be different. Unlike summits in other states, we would not be the one to go for all sorts of investment. We knew what Brand Assam wanted. We had a fair idea of: The sectors that we have natural advantages; which are the verticals that will place us unique among other competing States; areas that will produce employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for our youth. Hence, we had very cautiously targeted selected areas wherein we would appeal to the investor community to join our hands in the progress of Assam, and accordingly the North East of India, something that is so very close to the hearts of our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji.
Our preparation was intense, focused and planned. We left, literally, no stone unturned. My Cabinet colleagues, our officers were all mission-oriented. The meetings that I presided over were in all earnestness productive. The initial response that I was recipient of during my visit to Mumbai, Delhi, South Korea and Japan gave me a hint that something big is going to come to our State. The same was reported by my Cabinet colleagues from Bangalore, Dubai and London during their visits. My officers, too, reported to me from their interaction that Assam is now being looked at from a different perspective. It is no longer Assam where people would relate to law and order issues. This is a rising Assam, led by its people. An Assam that is prospering and finding its place among the comity of advanced States. Its GSDP was rising by the hour; its GST receipts were being talked about by other States. It is in the backdrop of these impressions that we were hosting this mega meet.
Look at the results we have achieved! Investors literally made a beeline to be part of the opportunity that we were showcasing to them. From the Ambanis to the Adanis, from the Tatas to the Ruias, from the Jindals to the Agarwals, all were there to back us. They are believing in the Assam story, that has been relayed to them by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues who have been relentlessly pushing the case of the State and the region. This, as Modi Ji said, is the Assam era, a North East era. We are striding, and we are about to arrive was the message from Advantage Assam 2.0.
I have no doubt in believing that all these will result in entrepreneurs, and employment galore. People will resolve to take their fate in their stride and uplift those of their fellow Assamese. However, I will be the first one to admit that these are mostly MoUs. We need to get to the brass tack and do the work at the ground. To ensure that MoUs result in concrete investment, our team has to do all the running. You cannot attract investors with intent only. Intent must reflect action and commitment. I had written in the previous columns here that investors have options, States may not. Hence, there is no room for complacency for anyone. Sitting on MoUs will not help. I would ask all and sundry to buck up and get going. This is just the beginning. People will now look up to us. We have a moral responsibility to be able to meet their expectations. I, for one, believe that we are here for them. They are not for us. So, at the end of it all, as I look back at the initial outcome of Advantage Assam 2.0, I am in a position to be pleased with myself, and say, “Well done. This is just the beginning, though”.
The Jhumoir extravaganza dished out in the presence of the Prime Minister of India by dancers and artistes from across Assam will go down in the history of our culture as a unique event that had the Prime Minister in awe. This event served as a fitting tribute to the tea fraternity, whose role in the history of Assam is second to none. In fact, at times, I feel, Assam is known for these fellow Assamese both within and outside the country more than anything else. They have held aloft the fabric of Assam for almost a century now. Imagine how happy one can be when the Prime Minister of a country takes the stage and commits to the people that he is now your “Brand Ambassador”. The staccato of the Jhumoir dance reached its crescendo when Modi Ji said so. I knew deep in my heart how pleased the Prime Minister must have been
