HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Sept 12: The Quality Council of India (QCI), with the backing of the state government, proudly hosted the Assam Gunvatta Sankalp event on Tuesday, in Guwahati. The objective of this event was to usher in a quality revolution for the citizens of Assam. The event began with an inaugural session that included the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and the launch of the Assam Gunvatta Sankalp video by Dr Lakshmanan S, secretary, Industries, Commerce & PE department, Assam, in the presence of distinguished dignitaries such as Jaxay Shah, chairperson, QCI; Dr RP Singh, secretary-general, QCI; PR Mehta, chairperson, NABET; and Rajesh Maheshwari, CEO, NABCB, among others.
During the event, an MoU was signed between the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Commissionerate of Food Safety, Assam, department of Health and Family Welfare, government of Assam. The MoU aims to enhance the food safety ecosystem in Assam through the establishment of a quality infrastructure mechanism, including conformity assessment frameworks, infrastructure development, and training and capacity building of stakeholders.
The Assam Gunvatta Sankalp featured four informative sessions, each addressing critical aspects of Assam’s development in various sectors, including Education and Skilling, Industry and MSME, Sustainable Agriculture, ONDC, Tourism, Culture, and Infrastructure. Eminent speakers from diverse domains shared valuable insights and recommendations.
Paban Kumar Borthakur, IAS, chief secretary, government of Assam, highlighted the connection between ‘Quantity and Quality’, emphasising that high-quality products and services can enhance a country’s economic growth. He acknowledged QCI’s efforts in areas such as quality certification, accreditation, and training, which can improve the quality of products, services, and infrastructure in Assam, contributing to the state’s development.
Dr JB Ekka, IAS, principal secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development department, discussed the government’s focus on improving the quality of life for the people of Assam through various initiatives in healthcare, education, infrastructure development, job creation, environmental conservation, and social programs.
Dr Lakshmanan S, secretary, Industries, Commerce & PE department, Assam, inaugurating Assam Gunvatta Sankalp, emphasised the uniqueness of Assam’s cultural heritage and its vast potential. He expressed a commitment to ignite a quality revolution as a strong pillar for Assam’s growth.
Jaxay Shah, chairperson, QCI, expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Awesome Assam to drive the Quality Mission in the state. He stated that the Gunvatta Sankalp initiative aims to empower Assam with quality-driven progress and reaffirms the state’s commitment to excellence in quality development at the grassroots level.
Dr RP Singh, secretary-general, QCI, commended Assam’s dedication to quality-driven progress, particularly highlighting the Boneej Scheme and its role in fostering excellence in rural sectors. He stressed the strategic importance of Assam in ensuring quality development not only within the state but also in neighbouring regions.
Abhijit Baruah, IAS, commissioner of Food Safety, Assam, noted that the MoU between QCI and the Commissionerate of Food Safety, Assam, represents a significant milestone in their journey toward quality excellence, especially in upholding the quality and safety of food products in the state.
Dr B Kalyan Chakravarthy, principal secretary, Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship, Assam, emphasised the importance of skills as a bridge to prosperity and economic growth, highlighting the state’s efforts to empower its workforce with necessary skills.
Manavendra Pratap Singh, managing director, Assam Industrial Development Corporation, spoke about the paradigm shift in Assam’s industrial landscape and how it’s positioning Assam as a quality manufacturing hub through best practices and product quality enhancement.
Syedain Abbasi, additional chief secretary, Guwahati Smart City Limited, stressed the importance of preserving culture and the environment while developing cities, emphasising that quality management practices can harmoniously blend modern infrastructure with cultural and natural assets.
Dr Sonali Ghosh, IFS, CEO, Assam Agroforestry Development Board, highlighted the collective commitment to excellence and innovation in agriculture and forestry, critical sectors with a profound impact on the environment and economy.
Dr Om Prakash, mission director, Samagra Shiksha Assam, discussed the goal of providing quality education to every child in Assam, ensuring education reaches even the farthest corners of the state.
Amrit Deorah, vice-president, Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER), talked about working with Assam to catalyse industry excellence, promote innovation clusters, and facilitate knowledge exchange among businesses.
Triranga Bharatiya Borah, director of Horticulture & FP Assam, highlighted Assam’s potential to lead India’s agricultural transformation and its efforts to elevate quality standards in agriculture at the grassroots level.
