President Murmu inaugurates several projects in Assam

Guwahati, Oct 13 (IANS): On her first day of visit to Assam, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a number of projects in the state on Thursday. Murmu inaugurated the supercomputer facility Param-Kamrupa and laboratory for the design and development of high-power microwave components at IIT-Guwahati. She also virtually inaugurated the Medical College and Hospital at Dhubri and laid the foundation stones for two Zonal Institutes of the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Dibrugarh in Assam and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion. The President said that within a short span of its existence, IIT Guwahati has made the region and nation proud with its achievements in the national and international arena. She was happy to note that a few days ago, IIT Guwahati had constructed a 3D-printed sentry post for developing cost-effective and sustainable defence infrastructure for the Indian Army. President Murmu also said IIT Guwahati is a knowledge centre that can provide technology solutions to connectivity issues and other challenges in the northeastern region. Since this is the only IIT in the North Eastern Region, IIT Guwahati must shoulder the responsibility to nurture other institutions in the region, work with the state government and the defence forces to strengthen our borders and provide technological solutions to prevent the recurrence of natural calamities in the region. She urged the institute to encourage innovations, work towards indigenisation in cutting-edge technologies, provide skill development avenues and be a forerunner in making the country Atmanirbhar. The President also appealed to the science and technology institutes of the country to promote greater research and development so that India can be a leader in technological innovations, beneficial for the larger good of the society. She moreover said that now the northeast is making big strides towards development and also making extraordinary efforts to provide high-quality healthcare and education systems to the people of the region and the country. She noted that the government of Assam is further providing support to IIT Guwahati to set up an advanced multispecialty hospital. She said that it will serve as an example for other esteemed institutes in the country to undertake similar initiatives. "We all know that the Sun rises first in northeast India and then spreads its light across the country. I hope that this region should be the torch-bearer in spreading knowledge and inculcating scientific temper among people of the country," President Murmu added.