Northeast transformed from backward frontier region to growth front-runner: PM Modi

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday gave a clarion call to India Inc. to reap the first mover advantage for investing in the northeast states as the region has been transformed, in the last 11 years, from a backward “frontier region to a growth front-runner.”

Addressing the Rising North East Investors Summit in the national capital, PM Modi said the government’s policy had accorded priority in development to the northeast, as a result of which the region has now come to the centre stage of India’s growth story.

He highlighted that as part of this policy, Union Cabinet ministers had visited the northeast states more than 700 times, and he also had made a night stay mandatory for them during their visit.

This enabled the Centre to get a first-hand feel of the ground reality and the aspirations of the people in drawing up the strategy for development, he explained.

The development of the northeast is not only a brick and mortar story reflected in the massive infrastructure development of the region, but also an “emotional connect” which has resulted in the remarkable growth in the region, he remarked.

PM Modi said the infrastructure revolution in the northeast has now transformed the long-time backward region into a land of opportunity.

The PM highlighted that more than 11,000 km of highways, hundreds of km of railway lines and the development of waterways formed part of this infrastructure development that has increased connectivity in the region. Besides, the large number of mobile towers providing 4G and 5G connectivity and a 1600 km pipeline gas grid have been constructed in the state.

This infrastructure is the backbone that industry can now use to take the development further, as there is now adequate power, highways and logistics in the region.

He also highlighted that peace has returned to the region as over 10,000 youths have given up guns to come back to the mainstream, as the government has followed a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and violence.

PM Modi also pointed out that the Centre had invested more than Rs 21,000 crore in the education system in the region in schools, medical colleges, IITs and technical institutes. As a result, skilled manpower was now available for industry.

The two-day summit, scheduled for May 23-24, is designed to project the North Eastern Region (NER) as a dynamic and emerging investment destination. The event aims to attract both global and domestic investors by presenting the region’s untapped economic potential and fostering collaboration between key stakeholders, investors, industry leaders, and policymakers.

The summit marks the culmination of a series of strategic pre-summit engagements undertaken by the Central government with the active participation of all eight northeastern states. These included high-level roadshows, state roundtables, the Ambassadors’ Meet, and sessions with bilateral chambers of commerce.

Roadshows leading up to the summit were successfully held in major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, and New Delhi, to generate momentum and investor interest in the region.

--IANS

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