From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, June 9: “Total change in North East” during the past decade was the main theme of the speech of the newly-appointed BJP president Nitin Nabin in his address at the first-ever national media conference on the occasion of completion of 12 years of the party-led NDA Government at Bharat Mandapam on Tuesday.
The BJP government’s success story in Northeast India is defined by a massive shift from geographic isolation to rapid economic integration, physical connectivity, and political consolidation under the “Act East” policy, the BJP president said.
Once considered a disturbed region, the NE has transformed into an infrastructure hub and a key growth driver for the country, Nabin said. The core pillars of this transformation highlight how the central and state governments have redefined the Northeast, he said.
Giving details, he said there is unprecedented development of road, rail and air network in the region driving connectivity and removing isolation. National Highways in the region have been rapidly expanded from 10,957 km in 2014 to over 16,027 km, connecting remote border stretches. Most of the state capitals are now connected by railheads now with over Rs 51,000 crore in investments. In the aviation sector the number of operational airports from 9 in 2014 to 17, adding crucial links like Sikkim’s Pakyong and Arunachal Pradesh’s Hollongi (Donyi Polo) Greenfield Airport under the UDAN Scheme.
There are decisive counter-insurgency steps over the past decade that have led to massive reduction in violent incidents and a drastic decline in civilian casualties bringing back much needed peace in the region. The government has signed several peace accords with the rebel outfits in the region.
Now there is high-speed internet expansion across thousands of villages has enabled rural entrepreneurs and village women and youths. He also talked about substituting the older, passive “Look East” stance with a highly proactive “Act East, Act Fast, Act First” directive.
Overall, the BJP-led NDA Government has successfully built a sense of cultural cohesiveness and economic confidence that has bridged the historical gap between the Northeast and the rest of India, Nabin added.
Among others, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attended the meeting which was preceded by a film show on the success of the NDA Government.
