Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, emphasised that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the North Eastern region is no longer perceived as the “last corner” of the country but has emerged as a priority area in India’s development journey and national identity.

Addressing media persons on Saturday evening at Chümoukedima, the Minister stated that the objective of Government schemes is to ensure that benefits reach the four key pillars of society — the poor, farmers, youth and women. She underscored that inclusive development remains central to the governance approach of the Government of India.

Advocating the “Vocal for Local” initiative, the Minister encouraged entrepreneurs and producers in Nagaland to brand and promote indigenous products such as ginger and Naga king chilli in national and international markets. She emphasised the importance of maintaining high quality standards in ‘Made in India’ products so that they can compete globally. Recalling the Prime Minister’s call to position Indian brands as global benchmarks of quality, she urged local entrepreneurs to focus on quality enhancement, innovation and value addition.

The Minister also highlighted the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which aims to enable three crore women to achieve financial independence through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). She informed that approximately 1.25 crore women have already attained the status of “Lakhpati Didis,” marking significant progress in women-led development.
Highlighting the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the Minister noted that free food grains have been provided to over 80 crore beneficiaries across the country. She described the initiative as the world’s largest food distribution programme, reflecting the Government’s commitment to food security and social protection.
During her visit to Nagaland, the Minister inspected Anganwadi Centres, schools and health facilities to review the implementation of various welfare schemes. She stated that the purpose of her visit was to assess ground-level execution and ensure that the intended benefits of Central Government programmes are reaching citizens effectively.

The Union Minister also chaired a high-level review meeting with the Deputy Commissioner and officials of line departments to evaluate the progress of centrally sponsored schemes in the state. She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to inclusive, effective and transparent governance, ensuring that development initiatives are implemented efficiently across Nagaland.

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