Emerging from the meeting, an elated Chief Minister along with Mr. Tata and other industrial bigwigs, who are members of AIAB, addressed a joint press conference. Chairman of Tata Group, Ratan Tata asserted that they were in Guwahati out of choice and because of the opportunities and potential in the state. “We are here because we have been drawn by the opportunities and potential of the state. Here is a new Assam. And we have committed ourselves to its development,” he said.

Mr. Tata described his visit to Guwahati as an eye-opener. “I had visited Assam a few years ago. But Guwahati has really changed,” he said.

Mr. Kumar of Tata group and Mr. Banga of Unilever said, “Our unit here is a vibrant one, employing around 4,000 people and producing 40,000 tonnes,” Banga said. Kumar said there has been a drastic change in Assam and “We are absolutely confident of doing business, with the scene very inspiring.”

“This is a great day for the people of Assam. Today, these top industrialists have come all the way and every one of them is committed to working for the development of the state. It is a commitment for inclusive growth with focus on the rural sector, which has been our Government’s thrust area,” said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.He however, admitted that there were bottlenecks like connectivity, power and manpower which need to be looked into.

State Industries and Commerce Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi said that the fact that several business bigwigs had attended the meeting was in itself a breakthrough. He said that the State Government hopes to bring in investments worth Rs.1,00,000 crore in the next five years for achieving economic growth and creating sustainable livelihood in the state.

India’s Former Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen said that the Look East Policy figured in the discussion of the board, which recognized the need to establish traditional links with South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The 19-member advisory board which includes members like J. Godrej, Chairman, Godrej and Boyce Group, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries and M.S. Swaminathan, founder Chairman of Swaminathan Research Foundation, will be evaluating and approving investment strategies, defining investment policies and guidelines, facilitating generation of investments, creating framework for reviewing and monitoring progress on agreed investment objectives, streamlining the investment process and suggesting modification based on investor feedback.

Mr. Tata proposed the setting up of a corpus fund of Rs.10 crore on a public-private partnership basis to start the investment secretariat and create infrastructure.

The Tata Housing Development Company Limited later signed two MoUs with the State Industries & Commerce Department for the creation of commercial spaces, IT parks, business hubs and the second with the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority for the setting up of commercial properties in the city.

Later in the day, Chief Minister Gogoi went on a foundation laying spree – two Tata projects – the Rs 95 crore five star premium Vivanta by Taj, Northeast’s first five-star hotel and then of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The Chief Minister inaugurated the first branch of HSBC in the region at Bhangagarh in the city. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the 30-bed Snehashish, the integrated childcare centre at the city’s Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in the presence of Mr. Tata.

For Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, it is a dream come true. “A good beginning has been made with the high and mighty in Corporate India and financial spectrum agreeing to become our ambassadors and promote brand Assam,” succinctly sums up Chief Minister Gogoi. And indeed it has come at a time with the Assembly polls slated for 2011.

Md. Sabir Nishat