Shillong: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated new passenger trains for Northeast and asserted that the central government was making honest efforts to ensure the development of the region.
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The leaders also discussed the proposal to make the Northeast the “organic capital of India”.
“If the western region of the country can develop, if other regions of the country can develop, I see no reason why the northeast region of the country cannot develop”, Modi said at the 65th plenary session of the North Eastern Council attended by governors and chief ministers and union Development of North Eastern Region Minister Jitendra Singh.
With Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh brought on country’s rail map in November 2014 and Agartala in Tripura connected with broad gauge rail line, he said broad-gauge passenger trains will now connect states of Manipur and Mizoram.
It was constituted in 1971 which marked the beginning of a new chapter of concerted and planned endeavour for the rapid development of the Region.
Citing a “number of strengths” which must “be harnessed for healthy growth”, Modi said all these states “are blessed with natural scenic beauty, distinct historical, cultural and ethnic heritage” which offers tremendous scope for tourism, including mountaineering, trekking and adventure tourism.
Underlining the need for the NEC to concentrate on job generation, Modi said, “The NEC should also consider focusing on issues in emerging areas of livelihood, entrepreneurship, venture funds, start-ups and skill development”.
The reproduction of the story/photograph in any form will be liable for legal action. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, “Today, we laid the foundation for a football stadium”.
He said the Corporation is implementing 34 road projects in North Eastern Region to construct around 1,000 kms of roads at a total cost of over Rs 10,000 crore. Likewise, while Rs 10,000 crore has been invested for power transmission projects, the railways too have undertaken projects worth Rs 10,000 crore. “This should give a boost to the economic development of the region”, he said. The Railways meanwhile have commissioned about 900 kms of broad gauge line in the last two years, leaving only about 50 kms meter gauge lines to be converted in 2016-17.
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“Let us restrict to the allocations whatever we got, but we need to focus on road connectivity, power and skill education”, he said.
