Assam CM meets Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister, requests for consulate office

In the meeting that lasted for 30 minutes, Sonowal urged the Singapore Senior Minister for exploring opportunities of business and economic activities between Assam and Singapore.

Osman also responded by saying that he would visit the State between July 18 to July 21 next for identifying potential areas of cooperation in near future.

Osman said the purpose of his visit is aimed at setting up of a Skill Development Centre in Guwahati for imparting skilled training to the youth to equip them for different avocations.

“The youth constitutes rich human resources and their energies must be channelized to usher in economic prosperity,” said he.

Pointing out to the potential sectors like infrastructure development, tourism, oil and natural gas exploration and IT where Assam and Singapore can join hands to reap economic benefits, Sonowal urged the Singapore Senior Minister to provide technical knowhow and expertise to develop Guwahati as an IT hub.

The Assam CM also pleaded for opening a Singapore Consulate in the city which would be immensely beneficial for the people of the region seeking opportunities in Singapore.

Sonowal also urged the Senior Minister for starting direct flights between Guwahati and Singapore that would serve the population in Northeast region wanting to travel to Singapore.

Osman has assured that ground assessment would be conducted for starting flights on this route by roping in private players and, if found economically viable, flights would operate accordingly.

Harping on a verdant Assam, Sonowal said his Government will go in for massive plantation of 100 million trees and work relentlessly towards making the State an organic hub as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Our thrust is to usher in economic development without disturbing the ecological balance,” Sonowal said.

Appreciating the slew of ‘Go Green’ initiatives of the Chief Minister, the senior Minister said this has been necessitated against the backdrop of climate change fast taking place across the globe.

The Assam CM further said that the Government has all along given added thrust to agriculture, horticulture and floriculture sectors with a view to doubling the income of the farmers in the next couple of years.

Dwelling at length on the rich natural, mineral and human resources of Assam, Sonowal said the State with its rich reservoir of oilfields boasts of the world’s oldest refinery at Digboi.

Stressing on the importance of food security, the Senior Minister pointed out that Singapore with its limited landmass imports 90 per cent of its food products.

Osman said Assam unlike Singapore has been fortunate enough to have been blessed with nature’s bounty and rich fertile land.

Stating that the state government has been giving importance to bamboo-based and food processing industries with a Mega Food Park also coming up in the State in which Assam and Singapore can mutually benefit, Sonowal stated that the dredging of the Brahmaputra river would open newer vistas of water navigation in the State, thus opening up new trade and business opportunities.

Osman said that he was keenly looking forward to his maiden visit to Assam which offers new collaborative opportunities on many fronts and invited Sonowal to visit Singapore to explore the possibilities of tie-ups in the near future.

Chief Secretary V.K. Pipersenia, Secretary, Act East Policy Affairs Department, Moloy Bora and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)