Guwahati: How does the Assam Budget 2024-2025, announced on Tuesday, intend to usher in an infrastructural renaissance in the Northeast Indian state? Directly or indirectly, by building more roads.
Under the Asom Mala 2.0 scheme, special emphasis will be given to infrastructural transformation, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog announced yesterday. The aim is to accelerate the construction of roads - already, 12km stretches are being developed daily on average. The length of surfaced PhD-PWD roads in Assam has so far exceeded 50,000km. And if the budget is any indication, the Assam government plans to continue with these initiatives.
Under the Mukhya Mantri Pakipath Nirman Achani, a state government scheme, Rs 2,330 crores was approved for the construction of 2,995 km of roads in 2022-23. In 2023-24, another Rs 1,480 crores have been sanctioned to develop 1,801 km of roads.
Furthermore, under the Mukhya Mantri Unnoto Pakipath Nirman Achani, the government approved Rs 1363 crores for the construction of 1,202 km of roads in the last financial year. In the same year, a sum of Rs. 1550 crores was allocated for the development of 1,136 kilometers of roads. Another scheme called Mukjya Mantrir Mothauri Pokikaran Achani sanctioned Rs. 529 crores for the construction of 328 km of roads.
Additionally, Mukhya Mantri Path Nobikaran achani for the construction of Rs 1848 km of roads for a total of Rs 370 crores was allotted. Under the same scheme, another Rs 339 crores were allocated for the construction of 1,707 km of roads.
The Governor of Assam Gulab Chand Kataria in his Republic Day speech also mentioned the 'Asom Mala' project in Assam. According to the governor, the project aims to transform the state highways and major district roads into high-speed road corridors. He also highlighted a new project to be funded by the World Bank in the hilly Dima Hasao district for developing a "disaster-resilient arterial road network in the district", he added.
It is worth mentioning that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $300 million loan to upgrade over 300 kilometers of state highways and major district roads (MDRs) in Assam last year. Once these projects are completed, road sections in the state will also be connected to the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation – bringing Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka closer.
The union minister of road transport and Highways Government of India Nitin Gadkari tweeted after the budget day that for Assam, saying the federal government has sanctioned Rs 382.10 crores for the construction of a new 2-lane highway with paved shoulders connecting Majuli and Jorhat on the recently designated NH 715. Additionally, a flyover on NH-715 is included in the project which will span 20.4 km.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Northeast Advisory Council and Assam State Council have welcomed the Assam State Budget for 2024-25, saying that the strategic allocations and visionary initiatives are poised to "catalyse sustainable development, economic revitalization, and social empowerment."
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