Advantage Assam 2.0: State telecom infrastructure gets Rs 4000 Cr investment boost

Guwahati, Feb 26: Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, announced a Rs 4,000 crore investment to strengthen Assam's telecom infrastructure at the 'I-Way to Viksit Assam' session during the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment & Infrastructure Summit 2025.

Highlighting Assam's role as the 'economic engine' of the Northeast, Scindia emphasised that the state is not just adopting new technologies but leading India's digital transformation. He reiterated the government's commitment to bridging the digital divide.

"BSNL will connect the last village in Assam with 4G and 5G networks. The investment includes Rs 1,800 crore through BSNL to expand telecom connectivity across the Northeast, ensuring last-mile digital access. With plans to extend this to 25,000 villages, the BharatNet Project has already connected 2,285 gram panchayats to broadband," he added.

Additionally, under the Samridhi Gram Yojana, a 5G Use Application Service will be established in every block of Assam, providing access to telemedicine and tele-education services.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled the state's roadmap to position Assam as a national leader in IT and digital services. He stressed the need for high-speed data connectivity to support upcoming AI-enabled data centres by Reliance Industries and HDFC. To further Assam's digital push, he proposed a study on bringing optical fibre from the Bay of Bengal via the Brahmaputra, calling it a potential 'game changer' for ensuring fast and reliable data access.

With BPOs shifting from Tier 1 to Tier 2 and 3 cities, Sarma predicted that Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat would soon become major BPO hubs, driving employment and economic growth. He reaffirmed Assam's commitment to digital transformation.

"We aim to pave the way from I-way to a Viksit Assam, unlocking new opportunities and driving holistic development across the State," he said. The session also featured discussions with industry leaders, including Nokia India's country head Tarun Chhabra, Reliance Jio's president of Mobile Business & Devices Sunil Dutt, and BSNL CMD A Robert J Ravi. With a focus on expanding ICT infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, and IT services, the announcements at Advantage Assam 2.0 signal a major push towards making Assam a hub for digital innovation and economic growth in the Northeast.

By

Staff Reporter