Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-day visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, commencing on Friday and concluding on Saturday. The visit entails the inauguration and foundation stone laying of numerous projects across the northeastern states. The welcome extended to PM Modi by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who expressed enthusiasm with the hashtag "#ModiParivarAssam," echoed the anticipation of various developmental initiatives to unfold during the visit.
Upon arrival, PM Modi received a warm reception from locals. The Prime Minister is set to spend the night at Kaziranga, a region famed for the UNESCO world heritage site, the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. Scheduled for Saturday morning, PM Modi will explore the park, known for its diverse wildlife, including one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, wild water buffaloes, swamp deer, and Royal Bengal Tigers.
After his visit to Kaziranga, PM Modi will head to Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh. At 10:30 am, he will partake in the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit North East’ program, where he will dedicate the Sela Tunnel to the nation. The Sela Tunnel project, an engineering marvel costing approximately Rs 825 crore, establishes all-weather connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang across Sela pass on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang road. Constructed using the new Austrian tunneling method, it incorporates safety features of the highest standards and holds strategic significance for the nation.
The foundation stone for the Sela Tunnel was laid by PM Modi in February 2019, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Concurrently, PM Modi will launch the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI), valued at around Rs 10,000 crore, and inaugurate, dedicate, and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth about Rs 55,600 crore across Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district. Estimated at a cost of over Rs 31,875 crore, it will be the highest dam structure in the country, generating power, aiding in flood moderation, and fostering employment opportunities and socioeconomic development in the region.
Following his engagements in Arunachal Pradesh, PM Modi is scheduled to reach Jorhat in Assam around 12:15 pm. There, he will unveil an 84 feet high statue of Lachit Borphukan, a renowned General of the Royal Army of the Ahom Kingdom of Assam who defeated the Mughals. The project includes the construction of the Lachit and Tai-Ahom Museum and a 500-seating capacity auditorium, aiming to celebrate Lachit Borphukan's valor, enhance awareness about him, and boost tourism.
Participating in a public program in Jorhat, PM Modi will inaugurate, dedicate, and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects exceeding Rs 17,500 crore, reinforcing the health, oil and gas, rail, and housing sectors in Assam. The projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme, including the Medical College and Hospital at Sivasagar and a Hemato-Lymphoid centre in Guwahati, will receive foundation stones.
PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for significant oil and gas sector projects, encompassing the capacity expansion of Digboi and Guwahati refinery. In addition, he will dedicate crucial projects, such as the new Medical College and Hospital at Tinsukia and the 718-km-long Barauni-Guwahati Pipeline, built at a cost of about Rs 3,992 crore.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), PM Modi will inaugurate about 5.5 lakh homes, constructed at a total cost of about Rs 8,450 crore. Moreover, the Prime Minister is set to dedicate important railway projects valued at more than Rs 1,300 crore in Assam.