by Bhupen Goswami 

GUWAHATI :Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today accompanied the Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar to Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati premises for an interactive session of the latter with the faculty members, scholars and students of the premier institute dedicated to technical studies. Addressing those present at the event, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma stressed upon the role IIT Guwahati can play in giving shape to government of India’s “Act East Policy”, which is expected to economically connect the country’s north-eastern region with that of the South-East Asian nations and provide the much-needed fillip to its growth ambitions. The Chief minister, lauding the role of IITs in nation-building, requested everyone associated with it to use its expertise to work towards achieving a safer cyber security regime, apart from dedicating studies towards disaster management, water crises, among others, in the state. Speaking about the importance of start-up ventures in an economy, the Chief Minister requested the IIT Guwahati administration to formulate a “start-up policy” for Assam so that the state can reach its full potential in the field of entrepreneurship and economic growth. He further appealed the students of IIT Guwahati to venture into the start-up sector once they graduate out the premier institute, and become “job-creator” rather than being “job-seeker”.

The Chief Minister, expressing his gratitude to the External Affairs Minister for visiting Assam, stated that the visit of one senior minister after another (referring to the visit of the Union Home Minister, the Union Defence Minister, and the Prime Minister himself) from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet within a span of just about a month speaks volume about the importance the current dispensation at the Centre attaches towards the growth and development of the north-eastern region. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister, along with the Union External Affairs Minister, visited an exhibition in the IIT Guwahati premises that showcased innovative products