Assam’s fair to expand North-East trade borders

 The Dollar Business Bureau The Government of Assam is fully focused at promoting business and entrepreneurship, in its upcoming first-ever Industrial Trade Fair, to be held in Jorhat from February 19–25, 2015. The event being conducted jointly by the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam, in association with the Federation of Industry & Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) is aimed at providing a comprehensive buyer-seller platform to promote international trade and enterprise building, with both the domestic and global markets. The major areas of focus at the event are divided into two categories-Open Cluster and Focus Sector. Under the Open Cluster category, the focus will be laid on the Materials and Construction Technology, Automobiles, Oil, Gas and Plastics, and Green Technology & Innovation, among others. The Focus Sector category focuses at IT and Electronics sector, Food processing, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Live Stock, among other key sectors. Meanwhile, as a part of trade fair, the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) is also organizing a one-day friendly golf tournament on February 20, 2015, involving participants from global nations, with an aim to promote India’s bilateral relations with the world nations. The tournament will be for approximately 80 Golfers and participation of a few nationally and internationally reputed golfers is on the card, says V S Bhaskar, Additional Chief Secretary, Transport & Tourism, Government of Assam, according to a press release. Besides this, on February 23, 2015 the ATDC is also conducting a technical session on Tourism titled "A Potential Game Changer for Assam", to throw light on the unexplored areas of North-east and boost the tourism sector in the region. The fair is also expected to expose the region to latest technologies being adopted by the industries locally and globally, besides exhibiting its own products, adding value to the region’s growth potential. “Assam being the Gateway of North-East, is an important business centre to South-East Asia. This fair will usher in new hope for businesses and entrepreneurs of the region, by connecting potential virgin markets and propelling a new wave of consumerism,” said R S Joshi, Chairman, FINER, according to the sources. Over 100 delegates from national and international wide including the members from 10 countries of SAARC, ASEAN and BCIM groups, would be part of the event, besides the neighbouring Pakistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, PMO, Jitendra Singh had earlier said in January, 2015, that the ‘Make in Northeast’ initiative inspired by ‘Make in India’ concept, will promote exclusive Northeast expertise in areas like tea processing, organic farming, food processing, exploitation of wind power through wind mills, AYUSH, among others. Under the initiative, the Union Minister had also announced mega circuit and mega destination projects of Tourism Ministry in the area in order to develop northeast as a destination for investors, holiday seekers and tourists.  

This article was published on February 12, 2015.