Guwahati, July 25 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that without the development of the northeastern region, India's growth would not be complete.
He noted that for the first time since Independence, there are five Central ministers, including two of cabinet rank, from the region and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the northeast 35 times in six years showing how much he values it.
"At the instructions of the Prime Minister, one Central minister visits the northeastern states once in every 15 days," the Home Minister said after launching various projects including laying the foundation stone of the 430-bed Tamulpur Medical College and Hospital in the Bodoland Territorial Region in western Assam.
Addressing the function at the famous Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra here, Shah said that rejecting false propaganda, people of Assam voted for the BJP-led government for the second time as they wanted development and rejected "aatankwad" (insurgency) and "andolan" (agitation) in the state.
"BJP governments in Tripura and Manipur resolved many long-pending issues and problems including resettlement of the Reang tribal migrants (from Mizoram) and other ethnic troubles. Now there is no road blockade and high price rise of essentials, including cooking gas, in Manipur."
The Home Minister on Sunday evening inaugurated the Radio Therapy Block and dedicated to the people the new LINAC machine in the state cancer institute in Guwahati to provide better and free of cost treatment to cancer patients.
Shah said that the Prime Minister, as he loved the northeastern states, cleared all roadblocks and irritants so that the region's peace and development are speeded-up.
He said that after the signing of the Bodoland peace accord in January last year, the government has already fulfilled the 90 per cent of the conditions of the agreement.
Reiterating the Union Government's commitment for protecting and preserving Assam's language, its heritage, and glorious culture, the Home Minister said that the language, dialects, cuisine, and cultural traditions of Assam and the northeast are India's jewels and the government would safeguard these.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in his speech, said that in six decades after Independence, there were only six medical colleges in Assam. "However, the BJP-led government after coming to power initiated steps for setting up of 23 new medical colleges, out of which few are completed while many are on various stages of implementation process," he said.
The Union Home Minister also handed over financial assistance to 100 selected beneficiaries of 'Prarthana' scheme under which the state government provides Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of 5,114 Covid deceased.
Sarma said that the state government, in a bid to provide succour to Covid victims' families, especially those who lost their family members, initiated the Chief Minister's Sishu Sewa Achoni, the Chief Minister's Widow Support Scheme, and the 'Prarthana' scheme.