Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Northeastern Region (NE) has a strong links of tourism, business and cultural relations with South and Southeast Asia.
The Prime Minister, virtually from Itanagar, inaugurated 123 key developmental projects including the ambitious Sela Tunnel project in Arunachal Pradesh and laid the foundation stone of 95 new projects worth Rs 55,600 crore in six northeastern states -- Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
These developmental projects encompass sectors like rail, road, health, housing, education, border infrastructure, IT, Power, Oil and Gas, among others.
He also launched the UNNATI scheme worth about Rs 10,000 crores.
Addressing the “Viksit Bharat, Viksit North East Program in Itanagar, PM Modi said that developmental works in the region were done four times more in the last five years but during Congress regime, these were not done in 20 years.
“Development of the northeast is the BJP-led government’s primary task. Modi guarantee is accomplished swiftly and these are being executed all the time not during or before the election time,” the Prime Minister told the gathering.
Expressing his confidence that the BJP-led NDA would obtain over 400 seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister said that the ‘Mission Palm Oil’ will make India ‘Aatmanirbhar’ in the edible oil sector and boost the income of farmers.
Expressing his gratitude towards the farmers for taking up palm cultivation, the Prime Minister highlighted the ‘Mission Palm Oil’, a special campaign carried out by the Central government keeping in mind the northeast and informed that the first oil mill under this mission was inaugurated on Saturday.
“INDIA block leaders are attacking me when I am working round the clock for the development of the country. They never thought about the future of Northeast people but Modi was always thinking for the interest of each family of the Northeast.”
“I would not take rest until basic necessities like pucca house, free ration, clean drinking water, electricity, toilets, gas connection, free treatment and internet connection among others are met.”
“When modern technology should be introduced along the border, the then Congress was busy with corruption. The Congress government deprived the border villages but the NDA government undertook the ‘Vibrant Village Programme’ aiming to develop the most backward village situated along the border,” PM Modi said.
He said that the NDA government has completed the works in 10 years which are not done in seven decades and added that the allocation of funds in the last five years is four-fold more than the earlier times.
The Prime Minister said that the entire northeast can witness the meaning of ‘Modi ki guarantee’ with the development works being done here.
Noting the laying of the foundation stone for Sela Tunnel and Doni Polo Airport in 2019, PM Modi said that whatever the time, month or year may be, he only works for the welfare of the nation and its people.
Referring to the recent Cabinet approval for the UNNATI scheme for industrial development of the Northeast in a new form and expanded scope, the Prime Minister underlined the working style of the government as the scheme was notified in one day and guidelines were issued.
He pointed out the push for modern infrastructure in the last 10 years, the implementation of about a dozen peace accords and the resolution of border disputes.
The next step, the Prime Minister said, is the expansion of industry in the region.
“Rs 10,000 crore UNNATI scheme will bring new possibilities of investment and jobs,” the PM said and spelt out his focus on startups, new technologies, home-stays and tourism-related opportunities for the youth of the region.
Throwing light on the government’s priority to making the lives of women in the northeast easier, the Prime Minister mentioned the Rs 100 reduction in gas cylinder prices on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Friday.
He also congratulated the entire team of the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the remarkable work done to make tap water connections available to the citizens.
The Prime Minister expressed delight that Arunachal and Northeast are leading the way in several development parameters and said, “Development works reach Arunachal and the Northeast like the first rays of the sun.”
He noted the inauguration of a drinking water supply project for 45,000 households in the state. He also mentioned multiple sarovars constructed under the Amrit Sarovar campaign, creating Lakhpati Didis in villages with the help of self-help groups.
“We aim to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis in the country and the women from Northeast will also benefit from this,” he added.
The Prime Minister criticised the earlier neglect of the development of the border villages.
He also said that unlike the earlier approach, he has always considered the border villages as the ‘first villages’ and the Vibrant Village Programme is an acknowledgement of this thinking.
Road projects for about 125 villages commenced and foundation stones were laid for tourism-related projects in 150 villages.
Problems of the most vulnerable and the most backward tribes are being addressed under the PM-JANMAN scheme.
Prime Minister Modi underlined that development works related to connectivity and electricity make for Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.
Drawing comparisons between the work done to boost connectivity since independence till 2014 with that post-2014, the Prime Minister informed building 6,000 kms of highways in the last 10 years compared to 10,000 kms in seven decades and laying 2000 kms of rail lines.
In the power sector, the Prime Minister mentioned work commencing in Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh and Solar Power project in Tripura on Saturday.
“Dibang dam will be India’s highest dam,” he said, noting the dedication of the highest bridge and the highest dam to Northeast.
Saying that every Indian is his family, the Prime Minister said: “Your dreams are my resolutions.”
Upon the Prime Minister’s request, the crowd turned on the flashlights of their mobile phones to celebrate the festival of development.
“This spectacle will give strength to the nation,” he commented.
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, (Retd) Lieutenant General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju were present on the occasion among others.
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