03/11/2025
: Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday (2 November) laid the foundation stone for ₹635 crore development projects in Assam at an event held at IIT Guwahati.
He also inaugurated the North Eastern Science and Technology (NEST) Cluster, set up at IIT Guwahati with an investment of ₹22.98 crore. The event was attended by senior officials of the Assam government, representatives from educational institutions, and members of the scientific and entrepreneurial community.
The ₹635 crore projects aim to enhance infrastructure, connectivity and industrial growth across the state. These include the construction of 65 new secondary school buildings costing ₹455 crore, upgradation of the Chayagaon Ukium Road costing ₹102.69 crore, construction of an RCC bridge at Silonijan Dhansiri Par Ghat costing ₹20.59 crore, and the development of industrial estates at Ramphalbil in Kokrajhar costing ₹14.40 crore and Lakhibazar in Baksa costing ₹18.40 crore.
The newly launched NEST Cluster will serve as a centre for innovation in the Northeast, focusing on grassroots innovation, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, bamboo-based technologies and biodegradable plastics. It will complement DoNER’s youth-oriented programmes such as NE-SPARKS and Ashtalakshmi Darshan, which promote scientific learning and cultural exchange.
Speaking at the event, Scindia described Assam as the heartbeat of a rising Northeast, emphasising its growing role as a hub of innovation and connectivity in India’s eastern region.