Eyeing upcoming election in four North-Eastern States of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Mizoram next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced Rs 90,000 crore towards infrastructure development in the region to facilitate better connectivity.
“Over the next 2-3 years, an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore is proposed under the Special Accelerated Road Development Project (SARDP) in the North-East and an investment of Rs 30,000 crore under Bharatmala is proposed for development of national highways in North-Eastern States,” Modi said, while addressing a massive public rally in Shillong, where he dedicated to the nation the 271-km two-lane national highway connecting East and West Khasi Hills districts and East and West Garo hills with the Meghalaya capital.
Meghalaya was the second stop of the Prime Minister after Mizoram during his day-long visit to the North-East. In Mizoram, earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 60-MW Tuirial hydropower project and said it has become the third power-surplus State in the North-East after Sikkim and Tripura.
The BJP, which is now ruling Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, is eyeing Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and Nagaland, where Assembly elections will be held next year.
Modi mentioned how the Central Government sanctioned Rs 79,000 crore for the Northeastern region in the past three years to boost connectivity as well as upgrade infrastructure in the region.
Highlighting the achievements of the NDA Government in the past three years, the Prime Minister said that the Government's motto is transformation by transportation. He pointed out that his Government has sanctioned rail and road projects worth Rs 79,000 crore for the North-East in past three years, which is several times higher than the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.
"Across the North-East, the Union Government has sanctioned around 4,000 kilometers of national highways, for an amount of over Rs 32,000 crore. The Government of India is executing 15 new rail line projects of nearly 1,400 kilometers length. This will cost around Rs 47,000 crore, and boost rail infrastructure in the Northeastern region," said the Prime Minister while addressing a public rally, 'Rally for Change' at Polo Ground in Meghalaya capital Shillong.
"Eighty kms of national highway have been built in Meghalaya in the past three years while works are in progress for 200 kms of highway. Over 400 kms of road construction will be taken up in next few years at the cost of Rs 5,700 crores. My Government has released Rs 470 crores under PPMGSY in Meghalaya which will cover 700 kms of road connecting over 100 habitations," he said.
Modi said that despite having huge reserve of natural resources, Meghalaya has not developed. "Ever since we took over reign in 2014 we have ensured that projects are not stuck up and we have ensured fast track completion of projects," he said adding that the entire Northeastern India is getting priority and in the last three years more than 150 Central Ministers had visited the region, which is much higher than the number of Ministers that visited the region in the last 70 years," Modi said.
He said that Rs 180 crore will be pumped in for expansion of runaway of the airport in Meghalaya. "Meghalaya is benefiting from Udan Scheme and soon there will connectivity between the State and Sichar, Imphal, Dimapur and Agartala. The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for development of tourist destination of the State," he said.
He said in 2022, when India celebrates 75 years of Independence Meghalaya will celebrate 50 years of Statehood besides the State will hold national games." These trinity of events open new vistas of development for the State and that the State has to take new pledge."
"With BJP winning in Assam a wind of change has swept eastern India. With BJP coming to power in Manipur the State has become peaceful, people here now can venture in the evening and move out with family. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal works late in the night clearing files. BJP will bring development to Meghalaya," said the Prime Minister.
"Today, we celebrate a significant milestone in the history of Mizoram with the completion and dedication of the 60-MW Tuirial hydropower project," the Prime Minister said while addressing the public meeting at Aizawl and added that the hydropower project would produce 251 million units of electrical energy every year and boost the economic development of the State.