Union MoS for Information & Broadcasting, Fisheries, Veterinary & Dairying L Murugan became the first Union Minister to visit India’s first village on the Indo-Myanmar border in Phek district of Nagaland. The Union Minister flew into the remote village from Phek HQs in a chopper in the morning where he was given a rousing traditional welcome by the villagers, leaders and womenfolk.

Speaking at the public interaction programme held at the International Trade Centre in Avangkhu, Dr L Murugan recalled about Modi Government's commitment towards developing the North East including the border areas of the region. He again reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that the last village is India’s first village.

Highlighting India’s seriousness towards the Act East Policy, the MoS announced that the two lane road upto Avangkhu border has already been sanctioned and work will start soon. He said this will pave the way for the development of border regions. He expressed the hope that the International Trade Centre at Avangkhu will also witness increased business activities due to increase in trade volume and better connectivity.

Dwelling on the piggery development in the state, Dr Murugan said National Livestock Mission (NLM) has been supporting entrepreneurs of the state and strengthening farm infrastructure and technology. He informed that in the last nine years, around Rs 1,770 lakhs have been provided to the state government as assistance under the NLM in the piggery sector.

The Union Minister along with other officials also visited the India-Myanmar border to take stock of the exact situation prevailing there. He said during his interaction with the villagers of the border village Avangkhu, they are very happy to see development activities taking place in the North East region.

During his three day tour, he also visited Chesezu village in Phek district where it claimed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose camped in the village during World War II. The Minister also paid a visit to Vezo Swuro who was associated with Netaji during the reported stay in the village.

Later speaking at the interaction programme with the villagers, Dr Murugan said as part of Modi government’s initiatives to pay tribute to Netaji and INA and highlight their sacrifices, for the first time during the Republic Day, the members of INA veterans took a march in the parade. Three islands in Andaman & Nicober Islands have also been renamed in honour of Netaji. After 75 years of Independence, the statue of Subhash Chandra Bose has been erected at the Kartavaya Path in New Delhi.

Our government also celebrated the 125^th birth anniversary of Netaji for whole one year under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. He also announced that a grant of Rs 14.99 lac has been allocated to Phek district for exhibition of children’s films in the district.

He later interacted with offcials of DIPR, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and units of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting based in Kohima.

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