Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday urged the Centre to adopt a principle of “geographic equity” in public investment, arguing that landlocked Northeastern States face structural disadvantages that must be weighed alongside expenditure efficiency. He made the appeal during an interaction between NITI Aayog and the Chief Ministers of the Northeastern States.
Sarma said investments in geographically challenging regions should be evaluated not only on immediate cost-efficiency but also on broader criteria such as national integration, regional balance and long-term competitiveness. He stressed that these factors are essential to unlocking the full strategic and economic potential of the region.
In a post on X after the meeting, Sarma framed the call within India’s long-term vision: as the country moves toward the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, he wrote, growth must be measured “not only across people but also across geography.” The remark underlined his push for policy tools that correct location-based disadvantages.
The Chief Minister pointed to persistent logistical constraints in Assam despite recent economic gains. Unlike coastal States that benefit from ports and shorter supply chains, Assam remains dependent on a narrow transport corridor, he said, which raises infrastructure and freight costs and limits competitiveness.
Sarma credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, improved connectivity, lasting peace, infrastructure development and the Act East Policy for bringing the Northeast from the margins to the centre of policymaking. He cited rising investor confidence in Assam, including the Tata semiconductor facility, and growing investments in manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy and technology as evidence of progress.
“Assam today is not just catching up; it is contributing to national growth,” Sarma said, calling for targeted measures to consolidate momentum. He urged that skill development programmes be aligned with emerging sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green energy and advanced manufacturing to leverage the region’s young workforce.
Sarma portrayed Assam as ready to play a larger economic role: a growth hub, a gateway economy and a strategic bridge to the wider Asian region. He added that if the last decade integrated the Northeast into India’s development narrative, the coming decade must place it at the centre of the country’s growth architecture.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-seeks-geographic-equity-in-public-investment-at-niti-aayog-meeting-1407068-2026-06-12?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-06-12 17:47:00
