Shillong, Jun 4: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) here today and focused his speech on the theme of peace and prosperity.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, Governors of the North East states, Chief Ministers and senior civil servants, among others.
Addressing the meeting, Shah said that focused efforts have been made over the past 12 years to accelerate the development of the North East. He stated that a developed North East is now being built on the strong foundation laid during this period and that all the states of the region have witnessed significant qualitative transformation over the last 12 years.
In these 12 years since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been in power, more than a dozen peace accords have been signed to resolve different conflicts in the North East, civilian casualties have reduced by 86 percent and more than 10,800 youths have been brought into the mainstream by laying down their arms, he added, and this has freed the region from militancy and made the region known to the world as an opportunity hotspot and no longer for its conflicts.
On the subject of prosperity, Shah said that the North East has witnessed systematic infrastructure development over the last 12 years and that improved rail, road, and air connectivity has significantly reduced the distance between Delhi and the North East. He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only reduced the geographical distance between Delhi and the North East but has also bridged the emotional distance between the people of the region and the rest of the country.
Shah also referred to a report of the High-Level Task Force on the development, prosperity, and preservation of the cultural identity of the North East, calling it a guiding scripture. He urged the states to utilise all budgetary provisions available under various parameters and work towards achieving 100 percent implementation of the recommendations contained in the report. He noted that, apart from the investments committed during Assam’s Investment Summit, the North East has attracted investments worth approximately Rs 4.25 lakh crore, reflecting the strong focus on industrial development in the region.
The central government also wants to see all North East states striving to become self-reliant in the production of fish, eggs and milk and should aim to supply surplus production to other parts of the country. Shah informed that a target has been set to supply more than 50,000 milch animals annually to the North Eastern states from the next financial year, along with the creation of a robust cooperative framework for milk collection and marketing.
Other subjects touched upon include the opening of land customs ports in the North East, preservation and promotion of indigenous local languages, Geographical Indication (GI) tags for local crops, Single Window Agencies for ease of doing business, timely justice and protection of rights, Artificial Intelligence, hydro and solar power, etc.
