Guwahati, April 5: There is quiet jubilation as well as a determination in the air to do even better next time.

Dispur today said it would go back to the drawing board to fine-tune its preparations for the next edition of the Namami Brahmaputra, touted by the state government as the biggest river festival of the country.

Industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told reporters here this afternoon that he was thankful to the people of Assam for the smooth conduct of the five-day festival despite inclement weather. The organisers had been facing flak for their alleged failure to keep in mind the weather conditions.

"There is nothing we could have done. We were in touch with the weather department but it was a sudden development because of depression in neighbouring Bangladesh. I regret the inconvenience caused but how can we fight nature? I am happy that the people turned up despite the weather. The whole event has been a lesson to all of us. We will go back to the drawing board and see how can we improve it," Patowary said when asked if the timing of event, which is going to be an annual affair, would be changed.

Patowary was addressing reporters in the presence of senior bureaucrats Ashutosh Agnihotri, Anand Prakash Tiwari and Ghanshyam Das, the three key officials behind the hosting of the festival.

The event was held with a budget of Rs 14 crore simultaneously in 21 districts of the state.

Patowary said the objective of the festival was to pay tribute to the mighty river, considered to be the lifeline of the state, and to showcase the opportunities it offers.

"Our rail, road and air connectivity has improved but waterways need to be developed. Making the Brahmaputra navigable could get Assam access to Chittagong (Bangladesh) and Haldia ports. Once we get access, Assam will not be the periphery of India but will be considered the hub of the South-east Asian market. To achieve our goals, we needed to showcase the Brahmaputra to the world, send a message. I am happy to share that the festival was one of the most googled events on the Internet," Patowary said.

The minister said there were a lot of positives such as the presence of leading personalities, investors and participation of foreign countries. "We also signed a memorandum of understanding to dredge the river, the silt from which would be used to build express highways on both banks. We need to take the momentum forward," he said.

Tiwari, the managing director of the Assam State Transport Corporation and member of the festival's media cell, told The Telegraph: "Marketing and branding are very important today. Compared to the budget of Vibrant Gujarat and other events, we worked with a limited budget but managed to create a buzz," Tiwari said.

The senior official said the festival had to be held in the open air. "We had to choose between rain and storm. If it rains, we only get drenched but if there is a storm there is a threat to life from temporary structures. To be showcased as a river festival, it had to be held on the banks. We will have to rethink the timing. We need to analyse all aspects of the festival to return bigger and better next year," he said.