Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal assigns priority to critical projects in NE by Jan

 GUWAHATI: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, chaired a meeting of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) to review the ongoing projects of both ministries in the Northeast region. The Minister assigned top priority to completing critical projects in the Northeast by January 2024.

During the review, senior officials of MoPSW and MoA presented the status of ongoing projects in the region. More than Rs 1100 crore was granted for the development of 25 projects in inland waterways in the Northeast region, including Rs 850 crore for 15 projects in Assam. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the officials to complete the seven floating jetties at Jogighopa, Pandu, Biswanath, Nimati, Bindhakata, Uriamghat, and Sadiya. In addition to permanent jetties at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, renovation of Jetty at Badarpur in Karimganj is also to be completed. One permanent jetty being constructed at Sonamura in Tripura is likely to be completed as well. The Minister also reviewed the progress of work on 15 floating jetties in Brahmaputra and 15 jetties in the Barak River. To ensure smooth passage of ships, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the officials of IWAI to regularly dredge 88 shallow passages on Brahmaputra already identified. The recent spurt in cargo and tourist jetties will be maintained with this initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the ministries of ports, shipping, and waterways and Ayush have been working towards realising the rich opportunities of Northeast India to make it the engine of India’s economic growth. Today, we had a very fruitful review meeting with the top officials of both ministries regarding the progress of critical projects in the Northeast. Taking Modi's vision of transformation via transportation forward, we have identified critical projects in the region that will be operational by January 2024. We have identified the projects and set a timeframe for the competition of each project by this timeline. Out of the six projects in inland waterways, seven floating jettings on Brahmaputra, a permanent jetty at Bogibeel, a permanent jetty at Sonamura in Tripura, a floating jetty at Bogibeel and Pandu, and renovations of a jetty at Badarpur will be completed. We are committed to the launch of these projects, worth Rs 150 crore, by January 2024.”

The Ministry of Ayush is currently constructing projects worth ?286 crores across the Northeast. The minister directed the Ayush officials to scale up and speed up the projects. The foundation stone-laying ceremony for a Yoga and Naturopathy hospital worth Rs 80.66 crore in Dibrugarh and for the new building of the Regional Research Institute of Homoeopathy (RRIH) and integrated Ayush Wellness Centre at Guwahati worth Rs 34.33 crore is to be done by January 2024. The Minister also directed to complete the G+3 and G+2 buildings at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) in Guwahati, with an investment of Rs 10.45 crore, to be inaugurated by December 2023.

Speaking further, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “Ayush is a major area of interest for our government, led by the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji. The Northeast has a rich potential to do much more in this sector. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi ji, we have been able to identify and start our work on multiple projects. Scaling up and speeding up is important to realise the optimum potential of the Ayush sector in the Northeast. Out of at least 9 construction projects currently undergoing in the region, we expect concrete movement in at least 3 projects, i.e., the inauguration of expansion at CARI, Guwahati, the foundation stone at Yoga & Naturopathy Hospital in Dibrugarh, and the foundation stone of the permanent complex of the Regional Research Institute of Homoeopathy & Integrated Ayush Centre at Azara in Guwahati by January 2024.”

The Union Minister was also appraised about the current ongoing projects like Ayush Health & Wellness Centres in the region. With a total of 830 approved AHWCs in the region, more than 495 centres have become operational. More than 33 integrated Ayush hospitals (IAH) have been approved in the region, of which nine are already functional. A total of eight Ayush education institutions (UG and PG) are being supported by the Ministry. Three new Ayush institutes—for Sowa Rigpa in Gangtok, for Homoeopathy in Keirao, Manipur, and one in Dudhnoi—have been approved. In FY2022-23, more than 155 Ayush dispensaries were approved, with more than 100 in Assam. (PIB)

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