ASSAM TIMES POST
GUWAHATI: Government of Assam launched a project for transformation of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) system on the National Waterways in the state of Assam. The project will develop an efficient river transport system which would be safe, secure and comfortable for the large volume of passenger and cargo carried by vessels by IWT as well as by private boat owners and operators .
Assistance will be accorded to business or trade missions from India visiting Malaysia and vice versa in seminars, conferences, exhibitions, economic and technical fairs, information bureau, symposia, or similar events taking place in each other’s country. It was also decided to accelerate engagement, trade, cultural exchange to unlock the potential sectors between Assam and Malaysia.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Patowary said, “Business and connectivity are two sides of the same coin. The trilateral highway which is expected to open by 2021 will connect Assam to Malaysia through Myanmar and Thailand.” Stating the Kaladan multi-modal project will also provide access to Sittwe sea port of Myanmar and make it easy to trade with Malaysia, he said the Mongla and Chittagong ports of Bangladesh will allow North East to access the South East Asian market.
Describing the MoU as the beginning of a new journey of trade and economic cooperation, Patowary hoped that the agreement will help in embarking upon a new journey of exploring opportunities and pitching in investment in the potential sectors. Assuring help and cooperation, the Minister called attention to the Malaysian delegation to invest in sectors like infrastructure, health care, food processing, tea tourism-cum-golf tourism, bamboo and agar which are supported by investment-friendly policies like state industrial policy, sugar policy, IT policy, export and logistic policy. Also urging MIBC to open a Malaysian consulate in Guwahati and start flight connectivity between Guwahati and Kuala Lumpur, the Minister said, “though we are divided by boundaries, our roots are same. It’s the heart to heart connection we share and with the philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava – the guest is god, we will work together in each other’s states at the industrial sectors”. MIBC president Sittampalam said that apart from the historical perspective, a comprehensive business agreement between India and Malaysia was signed in 2011 and since then trade between the two countries has increased from USD 8 billion to USD 17.24 billion durind 2018-19.
Terming the MoU as a historical milestone, Sittampalam added that the North East region can be the food basket for Malaysia as the country imports varieties of food items from India. Dr K K Dwivedi, Assam Commissioner and Secretary of Industries and Commerce Department, said that Indian origin people constitute nine of the total population of Malaysia which comes to a figure of 2.75 million people.
