Guwahati (Assam) [India], December 18 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state this week is 'highly significant, symbolic, and substantial'.

CM Sarma informed that PM Modi will also unveil the statue of Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi.

'Additionally, he will visit the BJP State Headquarters, making him the first Prime Minister to do so. He will participate in a program, 'Pariksha Pe Charcha', with 25 meritorious students on the Brahmaputra River. He will hold discussions with the students while travelling across the river. He will also visit the Sahid Smarak, constructed in honour of the martyrs of the Assam Agitation, to offer his tributes,' Chief Minister added.

Earlier, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal visited the Namrup fertiliser complex in Dibrugarh district to review on-ground preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit on Dec 21, when he will lay the foundation stone for the fourth fertiliser plant at Namrup.

The new brownfield ammonia-urea complex will be set up at the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited (BVFCL) with an investment exceeding Rs 10,000 crore. The project is widely seen as a landmark step toward strengthening Assam's industrial base and improving fertiliser availability across the Northeast and eastern India.

During the site visit, Sonowal assessed logistical arrangements, security preparedness and overall readiness for the Prime Minister's programme. Sonowal also reviewed the progress of preliminary works and coordinated with officials to ensure that all preparations for the foundation-laying ceremony are completed smoothly and on time.

'This project represents the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration of the people of Assam,' Sonowal said, noting that the fourth plant at Namrup had been demanded for decades. The Union Minister said the Prime Minister's decision to take up the project reflects the Centre's commitment to the Northeast and to strengthening India's agricultural and industrial ecosystem.

'Under the visionary and decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a decades-old demand of the people of Assam has finally been fulfilled. The fourth fertiliser plant at Namrup reflects the Prime Minister's deep commitment to the Northeast and his resolve to strengthen India's agricultural and industrial self-reliance,' Sarbananda Sonowal said following his review visit of the venue.

Once operational, the new fertiliser unit is expected to significantly expand the supply chain for urea and related products in the Northeast, reduce dependence on distant production centres and improve timely availability for farmers. The plant will have an annual production capacity of about 1.25 million metric tonnes and is expected to generate substantial direct and indirect employment, officials said. (ANI)