Assam's vision for 'ASSAMSAT' satellite gains momentum with ISRO support

Guwahati, April 8: ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on Monday assured Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that his organisation would lend full support in realising Assam's vision to have its satellite.

The assurance was given when Narayanan called on Sarma at Assam House here.

Sarma informed Narayanan about the Assam government's vision of launching its satellite.

"During his meeting with the ISRO Chairman, the Chief Minister outlined the Government of Assam's vision to have its own satellite

ASSAMSAT in collaboration with IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), Department of Space, Government of India," an official said.

The Chief Minister said that ASSAMSAT will help to ensure a continuous flow of data for the implementation of critical socio-economic projects and a host of dedicated services for agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development, border management and police operations.

In another meeting today, the Chief Minister asked Dr Krishan Kumar, Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) to expedite the ongoing highways and bridge projects in the State, including the 19.28-km-long 4-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Dhubri with Phulbari in Meghalaya.

Sarma also reviewed the status of several key infrastructure projects being implemented by NHIDCL including the Rs 25,000 crore Guwahati-Silchar Expressway, Numaligarh-Gohpur underwater tunnel and expansion of the National Highway network from Baihata Chariali to Tezpur and Gohpur to Kulajan.

The Chief Minister also met Rajat Kumar Mishra, Secretary, Department of Fertilisers and discussed the new fertiliser plant to be set up in Namrup.

The Union Cabinet has recently approved the proposal for setting up a new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex at an estimated project cost of Rs 10,601.40 crore.