Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday performed ‘Bhumi Pujan’ of the Unity Mall at the Betkuchi area of Guwahati.
The mall is a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is being built involving an outlay of Rs 298 crore.
The decision to implement this project was taken in July last year and the Assam government turned it into reality with the Bhumi Pujan on Wednesday.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in the 2023-24 budget that all the states of the country will be encouraged to set up a Unity Mall in their respective state capitals, or the most prominent tourism centres, or the financial capitals, for promotion and sale of their own ‘One District One Product,’ Geographical Indication (GI) products, and other handicraft products.
After performing the Bhumi Pujan, Chief Minister Sarma said that the mall will help in displaying Assam’s indigenous handicrafts and GI-tagged products which will also increase their patronage.
“The mall will have designated areas for all the districts and other states to display and sell their unique creative works. It will showcase the made-in-India products. Moreover, the auditorium and amphitheatre to be featured in the mall will enable the entrepreneurs to engage in discussion concerning their products and trades and enhance their business proposition. The yoga and meditation centres in the mall will also address wellness aspects of the entrepreneurs,” Chief Minister Sarma added.
The Unity Mall in Guwahati is being built under Part-VI of the ‘Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24’ at the backyard of the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre with an area measuring 18,259.3 square metres.
It will have 35 commercial stalls for states and union territories with adequate and uniform spaces. There will be another 35 uniform-sized commercial stalls with adequate space for the 35 districts of Assam. Food courts, serving Assamese delicacies and cuisines of other states, will also be a part of the mall.