From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Union home minister, Amit Shah has expressed satisfaction that a platform such as the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) has been able to “unite the eight states of the Northeast into a geo-cultural entity.”
Speaking at the 4th Conclave of NEDA here on Monday, Shah recalled that before creation of NEDA in 2016, “we knew that it was imperative that we understand the emotions of the smaller parties of the region.”
“Today, we are happy that the Northeast has eight states which are ruled by non-Congress parties and are under NEDA. There are 25 MPs from the Northeast and 329 MLAs under NEDA,” he said.
Underlining the significance of NEDA, Shah said, “All tribes in the Northeastern states are related and hence the platform of NEDA has necessary to build a strong bond of oneness that defines Northeast culture. There was a time when the region remained cut-off from mainland India but not any longer as we now have NEDA and a Northeast that is Congress-mukt (free).”
Over the five years of the Narendra Modi-led government, he reiterated that the Northeast under the aegis of Act East Policy has seen development, connectivity, infrastructure growth, progress in sports while efforts are on to tackle issues like militancy and corruption.
“Northeast is not a political destination but a development destination,” Shah, while terming North East as the New Engine of India’s growth, said.
In regard to the border row resolution, the home minister said that he had spoken to the chief secretaries of the Northeast states on Sunday and that efforts would certainly be made to arrive at solutions.
Taking a dig at the Congress, the home minister alleged that it (Congress) had resorted to a divisive policy which retarded development in the region. “Corruption reigned supreme during its term and there was no effort to solve the militancy problem by Congress as well. In fact it allowed it to linger,” Shah said.
Coordinated tourism
The home minister urged all the eight Northeast states to come up with a coordinated tourism policy to serve both domestic and international tourists on a combined Northeast tourism platter.
“Instead of promoting each state individually, the Northeast states can plan and come up with a coordinated tourism package that allows visitors to visit hotspots of all the eight states. The package needs to marketed well, custom made, cost-effective and attractive,” he said.
Flood mitigation
Shah said that since the flood problem affects the Northeast every year, it is imperative that a common scheme is brought about to help mitigate the menace across the region while making use of the water resource for hydro power generation.
“All the states should make use of the platform (NEDA) to plan and bring about a scheme to mitigate floods,” he said.
International border
Shah said that the Centre would be active in monitoring and securing the border shared by the Northeast with other countries. “Issues such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking will be dealt with sternly,” he said.