Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], June 19 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday attended a seminar on 'Leveraging Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) in the North Eastern States' held in Shillong.

The seminar was chaired by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and brought together Chief Ministers and senior officials from across the North-Eastern region.

It may be noted that the seminar highlighted the crucial role being played by EAPs, implemented in partnership with global development agencies through the Government of India, in accelerating socio-economic growth and development across the North Eastern states.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the North-Eastern region has witnessed unprecedented growth and transformation across multiple sectors.

He said that EAPs have emerged as an important instrument in addressing developmental challenges related to healthcare, education, livelihoods, infrastructure development, environmental conservation and capacity building through a focused and outcome-oriented approach.

Sarma stated that Assam has been one of the major beneficiaries of EAPs and has effectively leveraged these initiatives to drive innovation and deliver tangible benefits to its people.

He observed that projects supported under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions have significantly contributed to the State's developmental progress and have played an important role in transforming North East into a dynamic growth engine of the country.

Emphasising the importance of continuing and expanding such initiatives, the Chief Minister said that EAPs would be instrumental in unlocking new opportunities and sustaining the region's growth trajectory.

Highlighting Assam's success in utilising these projects, he informed that the value of EAPs in the State has increased substantially from approximately Rs 7,500 crore during the 14th Finance Commission period to nearly Rs 53,000 crore under the 15th Finance Commission.

While several projects have already been completed successfully, many others are currently under implementation and are contributing significantly to Assam's development journey.

On behalf of Assam and the other North-Eastern states, Sarma made a strong appeal to the Union Finance Minister to enable State Governments to access enhanced limits under EAPs.

He pointed out that over the past few years, projects supported by multilateral development agencies have empowered the Government of Assam to undertake several large-scale transformative initiatives that were previously considered financially unviable due to their high capital requirements.

The Chief Minister informed that projects worth approximately Rs 53,000 crore are presently under implementation in Assam under the EAP framework. These include major investments in bridges, embankments, healthcare infrastructure, power transmission and distribution systems, advanced technology and robotics, among other sectors.

Sarma further observed that apart from financial support, EAPs have infused robust project management practices, global expertise and international best practices into government systems, thereby enhancing efficiency, transparency and service delivery.

Expressing his gratitude to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her presence and guidance, the Chief Minister said that the deliberations held in the presence of the Chief Ministers and other stakeholders of the North Eastern states provided a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, collaborative planning and strengthening inter-state cooperation in the implementation of development projects.

He stated that the collective commitment demonstrated by the Union Finance Minister and the leadership of all North Eastern states reflects a shared determination to transform the region into a major driver of India's economic growth and development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Minister of Finance, Government of Assam, Jayanta Mallabaruah, senior officials from the Government of India, representatives of multilateral development agencies and delegates from the North Eastern states were present at the seminar. (ANI)