Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has requested Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for an easy process to get clearances for state ministers and bureaucrats to visit foreign countries to invite investors and generate awareness about its business summit in February next year.

The state government is planning to send cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats to different countries to hold road shows in a bid to generate awareness about the first Global Business Summit. The state government organised a curtain raiser for the event on Tuesday in New Delhi.

Sonowal called on Sushma at her office on Wednesday evening in Delhi and discussed several issues.

Sources said apart from extending an invitation to Sushma for the summit, Sonowal requested her to facilitate the necessary documentation of foreign delegates who would be coming to participate in the summit. "Easy and hassle-free process to obtain clearances for the visiting delegates would go a long way in finding big-ticket investors for the state," Sonowal said.

The state government hopes the summit has the potential to open the state's economy for major business investments and usher in a period of industrial growth and generate employment opportunities. Sonowal said his government is making all efforts to project the state in the best possible way and also undertaking policies to facilitate a conducive business environment.

The source said Sushma assured Sonowal all help from her ministry for the success of the summit.

State public works department minister Parimal Suklabaidya, chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia along with other top officials of the state government were present.