Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Dibrugarh late on the night of January 29, beginning a two-day visit to Assam focused on infrastructure development, sports facilities, wildlife conservation and cultural programmes in Upper Assam.
Shah was received at the Dibrugarh airport by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other senior leaders. Soon after his arrival, preparations continued through the night for the programmes scheduled for January 30. The chief minister personally inspected the multi-disciplinary sports complex that the Union Home Minister is set to inaugurate during the day.
One of the key events of the visit is the laying of the foundation stone for the second complex of the Assam Legislative Assembly in Dibrugarh. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 284 crore, will include a new Assembly building, an MLA hostel, an 800-seat auditorium and barracks with a capacity of about 400 people. Officials from the Directorate of Information and Public Relations said the project is expected to be completed within 30 months once construction begins.
Shah will also inaugurate the first phase of a modern multi-disciplinary sports complex, built at a cost of Rs 238 crore. The complex includes an indoor stadium, a swimming pool, a football ground, courts for tennis, volleyball and basketball, hostels and a main gallery. During the programme, he will lay the foundation stone for the second phase of the sports project, which involves an additional investment of Rs 209 crore. The second phase will add seating for around 30,000 spectators, a central playground, an athletics track and lift facilities.
Another important initiative to be launched during the visit is the Institute of Wildlife Health and Research at Dinjan. The institute aims to strengthen wildlife research in Assam by improving disease diagnosis, supporting conservation policies and enhancing scientific capacity in the field of wildlife health. In addition, Shah will virtually launch projects for the restoration and rejuvenation of wetlands across the state under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund scheme.
All major programmes in Dibrugarh will be held at Khanikar Parade Ground, where the Union Home Minister is also scheduled to address a public gathering after unveiling the projects.
Later in the day, Shah will travel to Dhemaji district to attend the Takam Mising Porin Kebang Youth Festival as the chief guest. His participation marks a significant cultural engagement with the Mising community. In the evening, he is expected to visit the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Assam headquarters in Guwahati for meetings related to the state’s political situation, before leaving for West Bengal.
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other senior BJP leaders are accompanying Shah during the visit. This is his second visit to Assam since December 29 last year, when he undertook a one-day tour to launch several government projects. Elections to Assam’s 126 Assembly constituencies are expected to be held in March–April.