Past leadership 'let Assam down', Himanta hails Modi govt

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Assam government with an active support of the Central government has taken comprehensive steps to transform the vision of Viksit Assam. Speaking at the 10th Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog on ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @ 2047’ in New Delhi on Saturday, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said, “The pursuit of a Viksit Assam has long been a cherished aspiration of our people. The Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat presents us with an opportunity to transform that aspiration into reality and reclaim and rejuvenate the rich legacy of a prosperous Assam”. 
The Chief Minister said that the Assam has embarked on a transformative journey, nurturing the ambitious goal of making India the second largest economy. From exports and innovation to digital infrastructure, from railways to rocket launches, India is scripting a new chapter of progress. He, therefore, called for collective efforts incorporating the strength, innovation and inclusive progress of each state to fulfil the vision of Viksit Bharat. 
Dr. Sarma said that before independence, Assam was a land of prosperity, with a per capita income higher than the national average. The state’s premium tea exports had already gained global recognition. Assam enjoyed robust connectivity with the global economy—railway lines connected Dibrugarh to Chittagong by 1904, and the Brahmaputra served as a vital waterway linking Assam to ports like Chittagong. The state was firmly positioned as a hub of international trade.
However, the partition of India in 1947 severed these arteries overnight. Assam was left with only a narrow and vulnerable lifeline—the Siliguri Chicken Neck—connecting it to the rest of India. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, despite a population that was over 97 per cent non-Muslim, were awarded to East Pakistan. On August 15, 1947, Chakma leaders hoisted the Indian flag in Rangamati, hoping to join India. However, the allocation of Chittagong to East Pakistan dashed those hopes. Despite their appeals, Pandit Nehru declined to intervene. His tacit acceptance of this decision dealt a significant and lasting blow to the Northeast’s access to global trade.Again, in 1971, during the creation of Bangladesh, Smt. Indira Gandhi had a historic opportunity to negotiate a broader and more secure geographical corridor to the Northeast. Despite her decisive leadership in securing Bangladesh’s liberation, this moment too passed without seizing that strategic opportunity. These were pivotal junctures where bold leadership could have altered the trajectory of Assam and the Northeast. Instead, the region was let down by the political leadership of the time.
Today, under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, Assam and other North Eastern states are no longer considered the prisoners of history. Assam is reclaiming its rightful role as a gateway to Southeast Asia reviving inland waterways, restoring connectivity and building infrastructure that will reposition Assam as a dynamic economic frontier of Viksit Bharat, he said.