Union Ministers to flock to Assam as major projects take shape ahead of 2026 polls

Guwahati, Nov 6: With the 2026 Assam Assembly elections on the horizon, Guwahati has emerged as a favourite destination for Union Ministers, reflecting the Centre’s growing focus on the State’s development and outreach.

In the coming days, the city and adjoining regions will witness a flurry of visits by top leaders, including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, each unveiling major projects aimed at infrastructure, education, and industrial growth.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Amrit Kalash Yatra at Khanapara on Thursday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma outlined the upcoming visits and their significance.

“Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will arrive in Guwahati tomorrow and interact with around 300 youth of Assam at the Jagiroad Semiconductor facility. She will also inaugurate the world-class waterway terminal and the newly constructed Guwahati riverfront near Raj Bhawan", Sarma said.

Briefing about the Kanaklata Baruah University, Assam's greenfield project after decades, Sarma said, "In the last few years, Assam has seen several universities being established, mostly by upgrading existing colleges. But after Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University, the State hasn’t set up a completely new university from scratch,” Sarma said.

“The Swahid Kanaklata Baruah University at Gohpur will be a bold step by the government and is a true greenfield university built entirely from the ground up.”

The Chief Minister informed that the Rs 500-crore project will be developed over 750 bighas of land at Bholaguri Tea Estate in Gohpur, where the foundation stone will be laid by Nirmala Sitharaman at 11 am on November 8.

“The workers have been compensated, tenders for alternate land have been processed, and preparations for construction are underway,” Sarma said. “IIT Guwahati Professor Parameshwar Iyer has been appointed as mentor to guide the university’s academic and structural framework.”

The Chief Minister also recalled a symbolic connection between the project and the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign held in 2023.

“During the Amrit Kalash Yatra, we collected soil from people across Assam. While a portion was sent to Delhi, another portion was preserved for use in the Bhumi Pujan of Kanaklata Baruah University. Today, that sacred soil is being sent to Gohpur for the ceremony,” he said.

Following Sitharaman's visit, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s will arrive in Guwahati on November 9 to attend an air show by the Indian Air Force at Guwahati featuring Rafale, Sukhoi, and other advanced aircraft.

The wave of Union Minister visits will continue as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit Assam soon to inaugurate the new terminal of Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport and lay the foundation stone for the Rs 10,601-crore brownfield Ammonia-Urea complex at Namrup.

With several flagship projects in the pipeline and Union ministers visiting back-to-back, Assam and particularly Guwahati, is fast emerging as a hub of Central projects and ministerial engagements.