Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and extended a formal invitation to inaugurate the yearlong birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The prime minister has accepted the invitation and will attend the inaugural event as the chief guest on September 8.
During the 20-minute meeting held at the prime minister's official residence, Sarma also invited Modi to inaugurate a state-of-the-art bio-ethanol plant in Assam and to lay foundation stones for two major infrastructure projects: the Rs 5,700 crore Guwahati Ring Road and the Darrang Medical College and Hospital.
According to an official release, Modi has agreed to participate in all these significant events, marking a major boost for Assam’s cultural and infrastructural development.
Sharing the news on social media platform X, the Assam Chief Minister expressed gratitude, calling it a “privilege” to meet the prime minister. "I had the honour of inviting him to Assam as the chief guest for the inaugural ceremony of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations," Sarma wrote.
The bio-ethanol plant, a significant step towards sustainable energy, will have a production capacity of 49 KTPA (kilotonnes per annum) of ethanol, utilizing 300 KTPA of bamboo as feedstock — a first-of-its-kind green initiative in the region.
The upcoming projects are expected to play a vital role in improving connectivity, boosting local healthcare infrastructure, and promoting Assam’s cultural legacy on a national stage.