SHILLONG, MAY 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Friday touched the core issue of ‘connectivity’ of the north east when he said his government is committed to connect the region with the rest of the country by railway network.
“We have sanctioned Rs 10, 000 crores for the development of railway network in the North East region,” Modi said while flagging-off the three passenger trains at a public rally held at Polo ground on Friday.
He said that the Railway Ministry is planning to spend Rs 5000 crores during the current year for the same.
The passenger trains include – Bhairabi – Silchar, Jiribam – Silchar which brings Mizoram, Manipur into the borad guage passenger railway map of India while the Kmakhya-Katra Express (Weekly) helps in connecting Guwahati, Assam directly to Jammu & Kashmir.
Terming the flagging-off of the trains as a red letter day for the region, Modi said that in November 2014, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh were also brought under railway map of India.
He also informed that recently Agartala and Tripura were also connected with railway lines.
Stating that the NE is considered as the gateway to South East Asia, Modi said, “The centre has come up with a mission policy to upgrade roads, telecommunication, power and waterways in the region apart from railways. This will give a boost to the economic development of the region.”
The Prime Minister also informed that the union government has incorporated a special corporation – National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation in July for development of highways in the NE.
Under this, he said that three new bridges have been constructed over Bhrahmaputra River, 34 weather roads covering a distant of 1000 km at a cost of Rs 10, 000 crores.
“The centre aims at connecting every district roads of the region with national highways,” he said while informing the union government has also declared 19 waterways in NE as national waterways.
Further, the prime minister also announced to provide 24X7 electricity supply in 365 days to the people of the region.
“Keeping this in mind, the government has made investment in two power projects which will cover all the eight NE states, which are being implemented at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore for improving transmission network,” he said.
Pointing out of 18,000 unelectrified villages, connectivity has been provided to more than 7000 villages, he said, “I expect no village in the country including NE will be without electricity by 2018.”
According to him, in order to further improve connectivity in the region the union government is implementing a comprehensive telecom plan for the North East at a cost of Rs 5,300 crores.
Emphasizing the need to increase the income of farmers, he said that the government is through a scheme is providing free loans to small entrepreneurs.
During 2015-16, more than 3.48 crore entrepreneurs were sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 1.37 crore. “Rs 2800 crore loans were sanctioned to 6 lakhs entrepreneurs from the North East,” he said adding that 93 lakh bank accounts were opened in the region alone.
Looking at textile sector which has immense potential to create employment opportunity, he said that the government has sanctioned Rs 145 crore for development of textile centers in the NE in which 7 out of 8 centres, which each having 3 units, have been completed.
Modi also made an appeal to the people of the region to work towards having an open defecation free society and clean environment.
“The Swachh Bharat Mission is a public mission for cleanliness and the beneficiaries are the poorest of the poor,” he said while informing that under the mission which was launched in August 15, 2014 – over 4.17 lakh toilets were constructed in 2 lakh schools across the country.
Meanwhile, the prime minister also congratulated the state of Sikkim for being adjudged as the cleanest state and city in the NE region. Earlier, the PM also presented the awards to Mission Compound and Laitumkhrah Main Road for being the cleanest residential area and commercial area in the city.
He also congratulated the winners of the Run – ‘NE leads the way’ marathon organized earlier in the morning.-By Our Reporter
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