Shillong: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Northeast is the gateway to Southeast Asia and can become a centre for the development of the entire region.
Describing the eight states of the region as Asht Lakshmi’ (eight forms of the goddess of wealth), he said that the government should work on eight foundation pillars for the development of NE.
The eight foundation pillars’ are peace, power, tourism, 5G connectivity, culture, natural farming, sports and potential.
Addressing a public meeting on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the North East Council (NEC) at the Polo Grounds in Shillong, he also said that improved air connectivity provided to the region has been helping the export of agricultural produce, thereby benefiting farmers.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, Modi also said that the NDA “government has shown the red card to many obstacles that came in the way of development for the Northeast”.
“Obstacles such as corruption, discrimination, violence and vote bank politics were removed,” the PM said in his 26-minute speech.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth over ₹ 2,450 crores.
Among the projects inaugurated, one is the sprawling campus of the IIM-Shillong at the New Shillong Township.
Accompanied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other dignitaries, including Union Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, DoNER Minister, and MPs from the eight North Eastern states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shillong–Diengpasoh Road built to improve connectivity to the new Shillong satellite township and reduce congestion in the existing city.
PM Modi also virtually inaugurated four additional road projects in the state of Meghalaya and in the states of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. He also inaugurated a Spawn Laboratory at the Mushroom Development Centre and a Beekeeping Development Centre. In addition, he inaugurated 4G networks in remote villages in Meghalaya and virtually inaugurated 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and Assam. He also laid the foundation stone for six road projects in the states of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
During his public address, PM Modi highlighted the success of peace initiatives undertaken by his government during its tenure in the Northeast region, citing the signing of several peace agreements and the resolution of inter-state boundary issues, as well as a reduction in instances of extremism.
He also noted that his government has made significant progress in the region in terms of development over the past eight and a half years, with improvements in infrastructure, connectivity, and the social sector.
“In the last eight years, the number of airports in the region has jumped from nine to 16, and that of flights has increased from about 900 before 2014 to around 1900, he said adding that many NE states have come on the railway map and efforts are being done to expand the waterways also,” he said.
“The length of national highways has increased by 50 per cent since 2014 in the region,” PM Modi said.
Modi also talked about the potential of the region in the hydropower and tourism sectors.
PM Modi also mentioned the launch of the PM-DevINE scheme, which has helped to increase the momentum of infrastructure projects in the region, and the government’s efforts to improve digital connectivity by expanding the optical fibre network.
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Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is also the chairman of the North Eastern Council, mentioned various development initiatives undertaken by the Modi government through the NEC over the past eight years. He praised the leadership of PM Modi for the significant progress made in the region and noted that funding is now reaching even the most remote villages. Shah also mentioned the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from many parts of the Northeast and the resulting reduction in the insurgency in the region.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma expressed appreciation for the support and assistance provided by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister in bringing development to the state.
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