Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI, NOVEMBER 29
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the NDA government at the Centre was giving special attention to the Northeast for the overall development of the region.
“We are according top priority to the Northeast. We feel that if we can develop the Northeast, we can develop India,” Modi said prior to flagging off a passenger train from Mendipathar in Meghalaya to Guwahati. He had also laid the foundation stone of a board gauge line from Bhairabi to Sairang in Mizoram.
He said the NDA government was keen on developing infrastructure in the Northeast and it was evident from its allocating Rs 28,000 crore in the railway budget.
“Once the region is well connected, tourists, who now get confused looking for destinations, will flock to the Northeast,” he said.
During his speech, the Prime Minister made special mention of South Korea’s giant leaps in development in recent years.
“Until a few years back, South Korea was a very poor country. Poverty among the people in the country was worse than that of India. Then it built a major highway. The road changed the face of the country. It removed poverty,” he said.
On the Look East policy, he said his government was working on the “Look Act” policy. “From the Look East policy, we are advancing towards Act East policy,” he said.
The Prime Minister said if the Northeast could be connected with Myanmar and other South East Asian countries via rail link, the region would turn into a major hub for trade and commerce.
He also said he wanted the railway’s horizontal and vertical development.
“By saying horizontal, I mean the railways should reach all parts of the country. Vertical means improving services, technology, speed, facilities etc,” Modi said.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma and Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said the people in their states were rejoicing. Sangma termed the day as “historic” while Thanhawla said it was a “red letter day”.
