Guwahati, October 16: The Assam government is advancing the process of allocating land for state Bhawans proposed by 16 states in Guwahati, as the city emerges as a hub for inter-state administrative and public facilities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development while inaugurating the newly constructed Assam Bhawan in Bengaluru’s Kumbalgodu area.
He said the initiative reflected growing interest among other states in establishing their own Bhawans in Assam.
“The way the Assam government has come forward to construct Assam Bhawans in different states, 16 states of India have also submitted proposals for the construction of their respective state Bhawans in Guwahati. The Assam government has taken forward the process of land allocation for these states,” Sarma said at the inauguration ceremony.
Built at a cost of Rs 71.24 crore on 12 bighas of land, the new Assam Bhawan in Bengaluru is intended to serve as a support centre for Assamese people travelling to Karnataka for education, medical treatment, business and other purposes.
Sarma said the facility was more than a guest house or an administrative building.
“Every Assam Bhawan built across the country is a home away from home, offering a sense of familiarity and belonging outside the state. These facilities are also important centres of social integration,” he said.
Highlighting Bengaluru’s significance as a destination for higher education, advanced medical treatment and business, the Chief Minister said the facility had been designed to support students, patients and families travelling to the city.
The four-storey Assam Bhawan houses seven suites, 26 mini-suites, 36 double-occupancy rooms and a 24-bed dormitory. It also includes one-, two- and three-bedroom residential units for government officials visiting Karnataka.
Other amenities include a dining facility, a restaurant serving indigenous cuisine, a banquet hall, a library, a gymnasium and indoor games facilities.
Assam Bhawan network expanding across India
The Assam government is simultaneously expanding its network of Bhawans and undertaking redevelopment and reconstruction projects in several cities.
The state currently has two Assam Bhawans in New Delhi and one each in Mumbai, Kolkata, Shillong, Chennai and Vellore.
Sarma said the third Assam Bhawan in New Delhi had been completed and was scheduled to be inaugurated on November 29.
The government is also redeveloping the existing Assam Bhawan on Russell Street in Kolkata and undertaking reconstruction work at its Mumbai facility. In addition, it is considering setting up another Assam Bhawan in Mumbai, which would increase the number of such facilities in the city to two.
The Chief Minister also said the Delhi government had recently allotted land to Assam for another facility in the national capital, potentially taking the total number of Assam Bhawans in Delhi to four.
The expansion drive is aimed at providing accommodation and assistance to people from Assam travelling outside the state for education, healthcare, official work, business and other purposes.