Development is not possible without peace, says Kiren Rijiju during Tripura visit

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, during his Tripura visit, has appealed to militant groups of the region to shun violence and facilitate development and said that development is not possible without peace.

He said that talks are going on with major insurgent groups, and peace talks with NSCN (IM) and one faction of ULFA is progressing positively.

"We have appointed a new interlocutor for discussion with NSCN (IM). The current chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee RN Ravi has been appointed for Naga peace talk. So he has started the process. We are hopeful that we will move towards a solution very soon. At the same time we are concerned for all the North-eastern states and there is a positive response from every corner," Rijiju said.

After inaugurating the cargo complex of the integrated check post in Agartala along the Bangladesh border, Rijiju said the North-east region could become the trading and commercial hub of Southeast Asia.

Rijiju revealed that the government is keen to use the region's strategic location in a positive way and improve connectivity and border trade with Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.

The Minister further stressed on the need to develop land ports.

"We are a region without any sea port so land port is our outlet to the world. So we have to develop it to the level it should be. This is the beginning. We are going to do much more," he said.

A prolonged period of insurgency has been a major setback for socio-economic development in the North-east.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was on a Northeast visit recently had also expressed the centre's commitment towards facilitating development in the land-locked region.