Northeast on track to prosperity as India’s ‘new growth engine’: Union Railways Minister

Guwahati, Jan. 4: The North Eastern states have emerged as the 'new engine' of growth in India and the Narendra Modi-led Union government is giving special focus on the development of this region.

This was stated by Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in Guwahati on Friday.

Vaishnaw was speaking at an event held at the Guwahati Railway Station. The Union minister flagged off three new trains on the occasion - the Guwahati-New Lakhimpur Janshatabdi Express, the New Bongaigaon-Guwahati Passenger, and the Tinsukia-Naharlagun Express.

He also dedicated a road over bridge (ROB) at the Tetelia railway yard built at a cost of Rs 72 crore and virtually inaugurated the 10 KW FM Transmitter at Akashvani Kokrajhar on the occasion.

The FM Transmitter will benefit over 30 lakh residents in the region, including those in Dhubri, Bongaigaon, and Chirang districts, providing them with access to clearer and high-quality FM broadcasts.

Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita, State ministers Dr Ranoj Pegu and Jogen Mohan, Lok Sabha members Dilip Saikia and Bijuli Kalita Medhi, and other dignitaries and senior railway officials were present at the event.

Vaishnaw also virtually inaugurated the NIELIT (National Institute of Electronics & Information Tech- nology) Deemed to be University.

A MoU was also signed between NIELIT and Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) to collaboratively enhance the semiconductor skilling ecosystem in India. The MoU was signed in the presence of Vaishnaw, during the event at the Guwahati Railway Station.

The MoU was signed by Dr MM Tripathi, Director General, NIELIT, and Dr Randhir Thakur, CEO and MD of Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL). The partnership aims to establish skill centres, develop diploma and certification programmes, and conduct workshops in Semiconductor ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging) technologies.

Both organisations will also jointly pursue research and funding initiatives, with a special emphasis on creating opportunities in the North Eastern region.

NIELIT Deemed to be University will provide industry oriented programmes in digital technology, with its main campus in Ropar and 12 constituents units across the country, including six in the North East. The centre in Assam will be at Jagiroad, where Tata's semiconductor facility is coming up.

It will provide undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes in emerging digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductor design and manufacturing, cyber security and forensics, Internet of Things, automotive electronics, machine learning, and blockchain technology. The curriculum would be developed with the industry and for the industry, ensuring that the workforce will acquire skills as per industry needs.

In his speech, Vaishnaw said that the education policy followed in India earlier for many decades promoted 'slave mentality'.

"However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the New Education Policy (NEP) to allow the youth of our country to achieve their potential and to let them feel proud of our culture, our strength, and our capacity to work, and to help the Indian youths find a place in the global stage," Vaishnaw said.

"With that spirit, today work on the NIELIT university begins. The Prime Minister has a big vision behind setting up the NIELIT university and today the first step in that direction will commence in this holy land of Assam with the blessings of Maa Kamakhya. I want to congratulate all of you on this occasion," he said.

- By Staff Reporter