PM Modi to launch projects worth Rs 8,500 crore in Assam: Himanta

The projects include an AIIMS and four other hospitals, a bridge over the Brahmaputra and one methanol plant, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will roll out various projects worth nearly Rs 8,500 crore, including an AIIMS and four other hospitals, a bridge over Brahmaputra and one methanol plant, in Assam on April 14, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference here, Sarma said Modi will be on a day-long visit to Guwahati, where he will kick start a range of projects through physical and virtual modes.

"He will land in Guwahati at 11:30 am and will reach IIT Guwahati by a chopper. From there, he will reach the upcoming AIIMS and inaugurate it. Around 85 per cent construction of AIIMS are completed and the remaining will be over in due course of time," he added.

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The AIIMS is being constructed by the Centre at an expenditure of Rs 1,123 crore, and it will have a 750 bed hospital and 100 MBBS seats.

Sarma said Modi will also virtually inaugurate three medical colleges at Nalbari (Rs 615 crore), Nagaon (Rs 560 crore) and Kokrajhar (Rs 535 crore), constructed by the state government, from the AIIMS campus.

"These hospitals will have 500 beds and 100 MBBS seats each. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of a research hospital within IIT Guwahati campus, to be developed jointly by IIT Guwahati and Assam government, which will initially invest Rs 600 crore," he added.

Then Modi will virtually distribute health cards to 1.1 crore people, who will get a health cover of Rs 5 lakh every year, the chief minister said.

From the IIT Guwahati campus, the prime minister will reach Khanapara and go to Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra to address the closing ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Gauhati High Court, he added.

"He will then spend around 30 minutes at Koinadhora State Guest House. At 4:45 pm, the PM will reach the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium and inaugurate three projects virtually," Sarma said.

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The first one is a methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh with 500 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity by Assam Petro-chemicals Ltd (APL), constructed at an investment of Rs 1,709 crore.

"In this plant, the Assam government has 51 per cent stake and 49 per cent is held by Oil India. After commissioning, APL will be able to sell methanol to other states as well as export to neighbouring countries," Sarma said.

The second project to be kick started by Modi is the Rs 100-crore beautification work of the Rang Ghar, he said, adding "we have already acquired the land for this purpose".

The 'Rang Ghar', an amphitheatre, was built by King Pramatta Singha. This two-storied oval-shaped pavilion in Sivasagar is one of the largest of its kind in Asia.

"The third and the biggest project that the PM will launch is the Palasbari-Sualkuchi bridge over Brahmaputra. He will lay the foundation stone of the bridge, to be constructed at an expenditure of Rs 3,197 crore over the next 3-4 years," Sarma said.

The state government has already received environment and other necessary clearances from various agencies for starting the construction work, he added.

"The day will end with the biggest attraction -- the largest Bihu dance. The PM will witness 11,010 dancers and drummers dancing to the tune of a Bihu song in their attempt to register it as the largest recital of the folk dance form in Guinness Book of World Records," Sarma said.

After witnessing the 15-minute dance, which will likely be the largest Bihu dance recital at a single venue, Modi will address the public at the stadium.

The Prime Minister will then leave Assam and return to New Delhi, the Chief Minister stated.