Guwahati: Assam plans to become the first state in the country to have its own satellite. The government aims to leverage this satellite ASSAMSAT to provide dedicated services to citizens across different domains like agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development, border security management and police operations.
Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog made this remark during the presentation of the state budget for the fiscal year 2025–2026 on Monday. It has been decided that the whole budget for the next fiscal year will be Rs 2.6 lakh crore.
The anticipated cost of the geostationary satellite ranges from Rs 450 crore to Rs 500 crore.
The state government is partnering with IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion & Authorisation Center) as well as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to build this experimental satellite.
The ASSAMSAT satellite will help the state to maintain surveillance in real time over its geographical area. It could help Assam avoid the cases of illegal entry, floods or even mining accidents like Umrangso.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the press on Monday that the state would have its satellite first in the nation.
“If we have our own satellite, it can tell us if any foreigner tries to enter illegally, give prior information on impending floods, and help with weather reports that will benefit our farmers,” CM stated during a press conference. He noted that early conversations with ISRO are underway.
