Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday called upon the Centre to introduce legislative changes to provide telecom services to over 4,000 “forest villages” in the state. The appeal was made during a session at the ‘Advantage Assam’ summit in the presence of Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia.
“Assam has 4,000 forest villages, but these are deprived of mobile services due to existing restrictions. I request the Union minister that if the Centre brings in a law to provide mobile connectivity to forest villages, they will also be digitally connected,” the Chief Minister stated.
Highlighting the critical nature of connectivity for progress, Sarma emphasized the need for better data connectivity to support the anticipated influx of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Assam. With Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani announcing the establishment of an AI-enabled data centre in Assam, alongside a similar facility by HDFC, the demand for high-speed data is expected to rise significantly.
Sarma pointed out that as BPOs shift from tier-I to tier-II and tier-III cities, Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat are likely to see several BPO setups in the next two to three years, necessitating high-speed data availability. He urged the Union minister to study the feasibility of bringing optical fiber from the Bay of Bengal through the Brahmaputra, describing it as a potential game-changer for data connectivity in Assam.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister highlighted the state’s ambitious plan to connect 25,250 villages with optical fiber and requested Scindia’s assistance to expedite the project’s completion, benefiting farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
Sarma also mentioned the Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor facility being developed in Jagiroad, positioning Assam as a hub of diverse opportunities. Referring to Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran’s interest in setting up a mobile manufacturing unit with a financial outlay of Rs 30,000 crore, Sarma expressed optimism about local employment opportunities for Assam’s youth, reducing the need to migrate for job prospects.
The Advantage Assam summit served as a platform for the state to showcase its potential and attract significant investments across various sectors, aiming for sustainable growth and development.
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