Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai!

Jai Hind! Jai Hind! Jai Hind!

Hon’ble Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri K. T. Parnaik ji, the popular and dynamic Chief Minister of the state, Pema Khandu ji, my colleague in the Union Cabinet, Kiren Rijiju, Ministers of the state government, my fellow Members of Parliament Nabam Rebia ji and Tapir Gao ji, all the MLAs, other public representatives, and my beloved brothers and sisters of Arunachal Pradesh,

Bomyerung Donyi Polo! May the Almighty Donyi Polo bless us all!

Friends,

On the way from the helipad to this ground, I met so many people with children waving the Tricolour, sons and daughters carrying the Tricolour. The respect and affection of Arunachal fills me with pride. The welcome was so overwhelming that it even delayed my arrival, and for that I seek your forgiveness. This sacred land of Arunachal is not only the land of the rising sun, but also the land where patriotism rises to its peak. Just as the first colour of our Tricolour is saffron, Arunachal’s foremost colour too is saffron. Every person here is a symbol of valour, a symbol of simplicity. I have come to Arunachal many times, even before I entered the corridors of political power. I carry countless memories from here, and remembering them always fills me with joy. Every moment spent with you is a treasured memory for me. The love and affection you shower upon me, I believe, is the greatest fortune one can have in life. From the Tawang Monastery to the Golden Pagoda of Namsai, Arunachal is a confluence of peace and culture. It is the pride of Maa Bharti, and I bow with reverence to this sacred land.

Friends,

My visit to Arunachal today has become very special for three reasons. First, I have had the good fortune to behold these beautiful mountains on this first day of Navratri. On this day of Navratri, we worship Maa Shailputri, the daughter of the mighty Himalayas. The second reason is that the next generation of GST reforms has come into effect across the country from today. It is the beginning of the “GST Savings Festival.” The people of the country have received a double bonanza in this festive season. And the third reason is Arunachal receiving a host of new development projects on this auspicious day. Today, Arunachal has been gifted projects in multiple sectors, including power, connectivity, tourism, and health. This is a shining example of the “double benefit” of the BJP’s double-engine government. I heartily congratulate the people of Arunachal on these projects. Before I came here, I had the opportunity to meet small traders, to see the products in their shops, and more importantly, to experience their energy and enthusiasm. I could clearly see the excitement among traders, artisans, and the public at large in this Savings Festival.

Friends,

Though the first rays of the sun fall upon Arunachal, sadly, the rays of fast-paced development took several decades to reach here. I had visited Arunachal many times even before 2014, lived among you, and witnessed firsthand the bounty nature has given this land, its hardworking people and its immense potential. Yet those who sat in Delhi and ran the country ignored Arunachal. Parties like the Congress thought that so few people live here and there are only two Lok Sabha seats then why bother to focus on Arunachal? This mindset of the Congress caused great harm to Arunachal and to the entire Northeast. Our whole Northeast was left far behind in development.

Friends,

When you gave me the opportunity to serve the nation in 2014, I resolved to free the country from this Congress mindset. Our inspiration is not the number of votes or seats in a state. Our guiding principle is Nation First. Our mantra is Nagrik Devo Bhava (the citizen is like God). Those whom no one ever cared for, Modi reveres. That is why the very Northeast that was forgotten during Congress rule has become the centre of our development priorities since 2014. We increased the budget for the Northeast several times over. We made last-mile connectivity and last-mile delivery the hallmark of our government. Not only this, we ensured that the government would not be run by sitting in Delhi alone. Officers and ministers must come to the Northeast more often, must stay here overnight, and must work here on the ground.

Friends,

During the Congress government, a Union Minister would visit the Northeast perhaps once in two or three months. In contrast, Union Ministers under the BJP government have already visited the Northeast more than 800 times. And it’s not just a matter of making a token visit and leaving. When our Ministers come, they make it a point to go to remote areas, to districts, to blocks and not only that, they ensure to spend at least one night here. I myself have visited the Northeast over 70 times as Prime Minister. Just last week, I was in Mizoram, Manipur, and Assam, and I stayed overnight in Guwahati. The Northeast is very close to my heart. That is why we have erased the distance of the heart and brought Delhi closer to you.

Friends,

We revere the eight states of the Northeast as the ‘Ashta Lakshmi’ (the eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi). That is why we can never allow this region to lag behind in development. The central government is spending more and more funds for the growth of this region. Let me give you an example. Some of you may know that a portion of the taxes collected by the Centre is shared with the states. During the Congress government, Arunachal Pradesh received only about 6,000 crore rupees from central taxes in ten years. But in the ten years of our BJP government, Arunachal has received over one lakh crore rupees. In other words, the BJP government has given 16 times more money to Arunachal. And this is only the tax share. Besides, the Union Government has been investing in different schemes and implementing major projects here. That is why today you are witnessing such broad-based and rapid development across Arunachal.

Friends,

When work is done with the right intent, when efforts are made with honesty, the results are visible. Today, our Northeast is becoming the driving force of the country’s development. A major focus here is on Good Governance. For our government, nothing is more important than the welfare of citizens. To make your lives easier, we are working on Ease of Living. To ensure you don’t face hardships in travel, there is Ease of Travel. To make healthcare more accessible, there is Ease of Medical Treatment. To ensure children don’t face hurdles in their studies, there is Ease of Education. To support your business and trade, there is Ease of Doing Business. With all these goals in mind, the BJP’s double-engine government is working tirelessly. In regions where even the thought of roads seemed impossible earlier, today modern highways are being built. Infrastructure projects like the Sela Tunnel were once unimaginable, but today the Sela Tunnel has become a symbol of Arunachal’s identity.

Friends,

The central government is making every effort to build heliports in remote areas of the Northeast, including Arunachal. That is why these regions have been connected through the UDAN scheme. The new terminal building at Hollongi Airport has also been completed. Now, there are direct flights from here to Delhi. This benefits not only regular passengers, students, and tourists, but also farmers and small industries. Transporting fruits, vegetables, and other produce from here to major markets of the country has now become much easier.

Friends,

We are all working with the goal of making Bharat a developed nation by 2047. And Bharat will become developed only when every state of the country becomes developed. Bharat will progress only when each state walks shoulder to shoulder with the national goals. I am glad that the Northeast is playing a major role in achieving these national objectives. The power sector is a fine example of this. Bharat has set a target of generating 500 gigawatts of electricity from non-conventional sources by 2030. This target will be achieved through solar power, wind energy, and hydropower. Arunachal Pradesh too is marching in step with the nation. The two power projects that have been inaugurated today will further strengthen Arunachal’s position as a power producer. These projects will provide jobs to thousands of youth in the state and will also ensure affordable electricity for development works here. The Congress has always had a habit. They would never take up whenever there was a difficult development task, they would simply run away. Because of this habit, the Northeast and Arunachal suffered greatly. Areas that were remote, mountainous, or located deep within forests, where development was a challenge, were abandoned by Congress, declared as “backward,” and forgotten. This included tribal regions and districts of the Northeast the most. Villages along the border were dismissed by Congress as the “last villages of the country,” and they washed their hands of responsibility. In doing so, Congress tried to hide its failures. As a result, there was continuous migration of people from tribal and border areas.

Friends,

Our BJP government changed this approach. What Congress used to call “backward districts,” we renamed as Aspirational Districts and made their development a priority. Villages along the border that Congress called the “last villages,” we began to honour as the first villages of the country. The results are visible today. Border villages are witnessing new momentum in development. The success of the Vibrant Villages Programme has made people’s lives easier. In Arunachal Pradesh too, more than 450 border villages have seen rapid progress. Roads, electricity, and internet facilities have reached these areas. Earlier, people migrated from border villages towards towns, but now these border villages are becoming new centres of tourism.

Friends,

Arunachal has immense potential for tourism. As connectivity continues to expand to new areas, tourism here is growing steadily. I am pleased that the number of tourists visiting Arunachal has doubled in the past decade. But Arunachal’s potential goes far beyond nature and culture-based tourism. Today, there is a growing trend of conference and concert tourism across the world. That is why the modern Convention Centre coming up in Tawang will add a new dimension to Arunachal’s tourism sector. The Government’s Vibrant Villages Programme is also proving to be a milestone for villages located near our borders, and it will greatly benefit Arunachal. 

Friends,

Today, Arunachal is witnessing rapid development because there are BJP governments both in Delhi and in Itanagar. The combined energy of the Centre and the State is dedicated to development. For example, the work on a Cancer Institute has started here, medical colleges are being set up, and many people here are receiving free treatment under the Ayushman scheme. All this has been possible due to the double-engine government at the Centre and in the state.

Friends,

Arunachal is also advancing in agriculture and horticulture due to the efforts of the double-engine government. The kiwis, oranges, cardamom, and pineapples from here are giving Arunachal a new identity. The funds from the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi are also proving very useful for the farmers here.

Friends,

Empowering our mothers, sisters, and daughters is one of our highest priorities. Creating three crore ‘lakhpati didis’ is a big mission and this is Modi’s mission. I am glad that Pema Khandu ji and his team are giving momentum to this mission as well. The work started here to build a large number of working women’s hostels will also bring great convenience to our daughters.

Friends,

Today, I see a very large gathering of mothers and sisters here. To all of you, I once again extend my greetings for the GST Savings Festival. The next-generation GST reforms will benefit you the most. From now on, you will get much-needed relief in your monthly household budgets. Everything has now become more affordable, be it kitchen items, children’s educational materials, or clothes and shoes.

Friends,

Think back to the days before 2014. How many difficulties there were. Inflation was sky-high, massive scams were happening everywhere, and the then Congress government kept increasing the burden of taxes on the people. At that time, even if someone earned just two lakh rupees a year, they had to pay income tax. This was 11 years ago. On an income of two lakh rupees, tax was imposed. And on many essential items, the Congress government levied more than 30 percent tax. Even children’s toffees were taxed so heavily.

Friends,

At that time, I had promised you that I would work to increase both your income and your savings. Over the years, the country faced many big challenges. But we consistently reduced income tax. Just think, there used to be tax on income on two lakh rupees 11 years ago. This year, we have declared annual incomes up to 12 lakh rupees fully tax-free. And starting today, GST has been simplified into just two slabs, i.e., 5 percent and 18 percent. Many items have become completely tax-free, and for other goods the tax has been reduced significantly. Everything has now become more affordable whether you want to build a new house, buy a scooter or bike, dine out, or travel. This GST Savings Festival is going to be truly memorable for you.

Friends,

I always admire Arunachal Pradesh for this special quality that you say “Jai Hind” even before saying “Namaskar.” You are the people who put the nation before yourselves. Today, as we all work together to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India), the country also has one expectation from us. And this expectation is ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance). Bharat will become developed only when Bharat becomes self-reliant. And for Bharat’s self-reliance, the mantra of Swadeshi is essential. The demand of the times, the demand of the nation, is that we adopt Swadeshi: buy only what is made in the country, sell only what is made in the country, and say with pride—this is Swadeshi. Will you all say it with me? When I say, “Say with pride,” you say, “This is Swadeshi.” Say with pride—this is Swadeshi! Say with pride—this is Swadeshi! Say with pride—this is Swadeshi! Say with pride—this is Swadeshi! It is by following this mantra that the nation will progress, and that the development of Arunachal and the Northeast will accelerate. Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for these development projects. Today is not only the auspicious festival of Navratri, but also the Savings Festival. And since you are all part of this grand celebration, I have one request. Please take out your mobile phones, turn on the flashlights, and raise them high. Look around: This is the sight of the Savings Festival; this is its strength. On this first day of Navratri, there is light everywhere and the light of Arunachal spreads across the entire nation. See all around you. It is shining lights, like twinkling stars. My warmest greetings to you all. Thank you very much!

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MJPS/VJ/VK