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Friday, February 14, 2025
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SIGNIFICANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

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We must be equipped with necessary facilities for the growth of a project and to stimulate the economical development. These facilities include development of connectivity like road and highways, waterways, railways and airway which facilitates in the flow of ingredients and finished products. Communication system which is considered as the artery of the entire economy is the most essential infrastructure for global development. Apart from this capacity building is also very crucial to develop and strengthen skill and abilities, good governance and manage challenges.

   Health care and education services as well as the manpower planning is also treated as most essential social infrastructure for enhancing primary, secondary and tertiary development sectors. The creation and extension of irrigation infrastructure is also pertinent in the growth of agriculture. It is to be ensured about the availability of all those infrastructure before initiation of a project, which is not done in many cases. Disruption of supply chain creates a disastrous effect on a region’s economy.  So availability of sustainable infrastructure is sine-qua-non for the well being of a society. India’s infrastructural development is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.4 %within 2026. As the gateway to NE region , Assam is endeavouring its best for developing the infrastructural needs by creating new roads, inland waterways and railways for effective connectivity. The road network in Assam comprises of 65,748 Km which constitute 83.82 Km per hundred square Km of its Geographical area and 210.69 Km per lakh of population of the state. This again accounts for nearly 60% of total roadways in NE region. Over the last six years since 2017 surface road length has increased by 80%, still all -weathered road availability is very minimum at 36.89 Km per 100 square Km and 92.65 Km per lakh of population. Nearly 50 % of the rural roads are simply graveled which need to be developed as all weathered road for smooth movement of goods and improve the rural economy. The rural roads are now being black topped under Prime Minister Gramya Sarak Yoyona (PMGSY) . Most of the State HighWays and major District roads are single laned. According to International Rescue Committee vision , the State High way should be 100% double laned and major District roads should be at least 40% double laned and the weakened pavements and bridges need to be strengthened to cope with heavy loads. The vision of 20 years perspective infrastructure development plan of Government of Assam includes both adequate road connectivity to industrial centres and strengthening connectivity to neighbouring states so as to enhance economic development. Now under Special Accelerated Road Development programme two lane National High Way is being introduced. For the movement of high speed vehicles, 890 Km of Express High Way from Sadiya to Dhubri is also being planned.

    The North East faces many challenges to poor roads and railway infrastructure. During the last years, initiative was taken to complete the pending infrastructure though still awaits for more projects in road, railways and other connectivity specially to rural areas. The development of railway network is one of the major priorities in NE region. In contrast to country’s railway network, the state’s coverage is only3.8%. The newly launched train services within the state is expected to intensify regional connectivity. Throughout the centuries railways are found to be growing rapidly worldwide connecting major cities and industrial hubs across Europe, Asia and North America etc and becoming vital transportation infrastructure to foster economic growth.

   Power is an effective infrastructure for the growth of an industry. Now it has been attempted to achieve self- sufficiency in power sector through promoting solar energy because of increasing peak demand of electricity in the state from 2165MW in 2021-22 to 2426 MW in 2022-23. It has been proposed to produce 3 thousand MW of surya sakti by 2026 in the state. It is remarkably said that for every rupee spend on infrastructure there is a 2.5 to 3.5 rupee gain in GDP in the country. Investment in the infrastructure contributed around 5 percent of the GDP in the 10thfive year plan and 9.6 percent in the 11 th five year plan.

  The launching of Gatisakti National Master Plan to focus on major transport sector may also undoubtedly enhance multi-model connectivity infrastructure. The collaboration between public and private sector to create resilent, future-ready infrastructure may pave the way for prosperous sustainable future. The proposed Road, Railways and other connectivity project worth Rs 1,34,200 crore in the North East is expected to bring the rest of India close to the North East. The World Bank funded Assam Inland Water Transport Project  will give a fillip in transforming quality of Inland Water Transport services. The Union Government has also proposed to transform Assam’s Inland waterways in a thriving network of growth and connectivity with the idea that strong connectivity is essential for building a developed India. Assam’s Secondary Road Improvement Project funded by Asian Infrastructural Investment Bank, Assam and South Asia sub regional Economic Cooperation Corridor Connectivity Improvement Project funded by Asian Development Bank to ensure uniform road development in less developed areas like Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, Bodoland and Barak Valley region  are also much remarkable. These projects intend to upgrade about 312.5 km of state highways and major district roads in Assam. Assam Resilent Rural Bridge Programme funded by World Bank for maintenance or replacement of existing RCC bridges and constructing four lane bridge over Brahmaputra  will also improve connectivity.

  The recent Jagiroad Semi Conductor Project representing an innovative project for Assam and the neighbouring states will demand for more infrastructural development with a view to outsource raw materials from China and USA.  These activities are not aligns with the mission to enhance industrial growth but also leads Assam at the forefront of technological innovation and global competitiveness in infrastructural development.

K.K.Sen, FLAT-1D, Teesta Apartment, House 61, Ajanta path, Byelane-1, Beltola Survey, Guwahati- 28 

Also Read: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Pushes for Automobile Manufacturing Ecosystem in the State

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