The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal credited the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for centring around key areas of Good Governance and Developmental Politics as part of political strategy to revive, rejuvenated & renew the energy of the Northeast. The senior leader from the Northeast also highlighted how the transformational decade of governance by the Modi Government has sparked a new energy in the Northeast India as it aims to power the engine of growth for a country’s quest to become Aatmanirbhar.

Addressing a presser to highlight the key achievements of the NDA Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Union Minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Our beautiful region of the Northeast has been blessed by the Mother Nature but was ignored for far too long by the successive governments at the Centre, until the NDA came to power. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the region has undergone a major transformation in last one decade, when compared to decades of inertia by governments stuck in inaction, corruption, & ignorance. This decade of transformation has sparked new energy in the Northeast. The people, confident with pride and possibilities, are no longer feel ignored as they are working along their brethren from other parts of the country in an effort to realise the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. The genius strategy, to rejuvenate the Northeast as the Growth Engine of India, employed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji centres around good governance and developmental politics. These twin approach with a penchant for success with clear intention and hard work has paid off as people, from the remotest corners of the region, enjoy the delivery of welfare services at their doorstep. This was unthinkable for most people of the Northeast before 2014. Today, we have lived this transformation, this development, this elevation in quality of lives which has empowered us to aspire, seek, and commit for the cause of nation building.”

Highlighting some major development in the region, the Union Minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Northeast has remained a priority for the NDA Government led by PM Narendra Modi ji. Since 2014, the region has received an increase of more than 300% in the budget outlay. From ₹36,108 crore in 2014, the budget outlay for the region has reached ₹94,680 crore in FY2023-24. In terms of infrastructure, a remarkable rise of 28% in expansion of National Highways has been registered. Till 2014, the region had 80 National Highways (NHs) which jumped to 103 NHs by 2023. A whopping 26 times increase in infra development scheme outlays from a meagre ₹94 crores to ₹2,491 crores. Railways also expanded within the region improving communications with more than 193 kms of rail lines being commissioned every year. The railway budget for the region has increased by 370%. We have also achieved 100% electrification of broad gauge in the region. In 60 years of governance under the previous, the region had only 9 operational airports. In less than a decade under PM Narendra Modi, the region now boasts of 17 operational airports. As a result, the people from the region has boosted the aviation sector with 113% increase in flights per week. In terms of delivery of welfare schemes to the people from the remotest corners of the region, more than 7000 villages have access to piped drinking water. IN this decade, the region has also witnessed a healthy growth of 39% increase in number of universities. With a view to promote organic farming, more than 1.55 lakh hectare land utilised for organic farming. More than 4,016 kms of road projects are ongoing while 4G connectivity has reached almost all parts of the Northeast.

Highlighting the work done on rejuvenation of the waterways, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always given major importance to revive the inland waterways of the country as a valuable alternative mode of transportation which is economical, ecologically better and efficient.  The Northeast, by virtue of its rich network of riverine system, remains a major success story when it comes to inland waterways. The Brahmaputra, designated as the National Waterways 2, has been traditionally used to trade with the world via Bay of Bengal. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we have been able revive this route through Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) allowing the trade interests of the region, including facilitating trade for neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, to access the global market. The three pronged approach of the waterways for Northeast is focussed on development of infrastructure, boosting the immense potential of riverine tourism as well as encourage logistics for trade and passengers travel via waterways. The government is working on developing fairway along 891 kms of Brahmaputra with Least Available Depth (LAD) between Bangladesh Border to Neamati at 2.50 meters, Neamati to Dibrugarh at 2.00 meters and Dibrugarh to Sadiya at 1.5 meters. The dredging work is to be done by the Dredging Corporation of India. For infrastructure, the region’s first ship repair facility is being constructed at Pandu Port with an investment of ₹208 crores while an elevated road is being constructed from Pandu port to NH27 at an investment of ₹180 crores. Permanent RCC terminals are constructed at Pandu, Dhubri, Bogibeel and Jogighopa while the Multi Modal Jogighopa terminal is almost complete. Floating jetties are being constructed at 11 locations along the NW 2. The government is also working on the reviving the riverine tourism with the success of Ganga Vilas - the World’s Longest river cruise. The government is constructing tourist jetties at multiple locations along NW 2 like Biswanath, Neamati, Guijan & Silghat will further bolster the prospect of riverine tourism in the region.”

Sonowal also came down heavily on previous government for their misgovernance for many decades. Sonowal said, “Previous government must apologise to the people of the Northeast. Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was a MP from the Northeast, but he never did anything concrete for the betterment of the region. The days of darkness from the insurgency and violence during the previous governments has now become a thing of past as current government led by PM Narendra Modi ensured peace in the region, creating an environment of investment and development. Today, the athletes of the region can compete at the top global competition and wins laurels for the country. This has only been possible due to the transformation decade of good governance and development by the Modi Govt.”

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DS/AK