Development of North East continues to be of high priority for Govt.: Jitendra Singh

Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the development of the North East region continues to be of high priority on the agenda of the NDA Government at the Centre and added that any element disturbing peace in the region

would be appropriately dealt with.

"The development of this region continues to be of high priority on the agenda of the government led by Narendra Modi. I would rather like to concentrate on restoration and maintenance of peace and give boost to the kind of dream that we envisaged for North East. Rest assured, if there is any element which disturbs the peace of the region, it

would be appropriately dealt with," Singh told the media here.

"All of us believe that the people of North East state are in fact fed up of violence, fed up of the disturbances which have deprived them of the enormous benefits being enjoyed by the mainstream India. The Chief Minister also subscribes to this view and, therefore, all the plans that we have for North East in the times to come will be complete with a close coordination with the state and the central government," he

added.

Singh further said the Centre is committed to the best possible growth in the North East region.

"This is the best time for the North East because you have a government out there at the Centre which is committed towards the best possible growth in the region, including that of the state of Manipur. The Indian Government and all the concerned departments and agencies are capable enough to deal with any kind of scenario and any change that takes place suddenly or over a period of time in North East. That is the capacity and capability of the Indian state. All of us should try to make use of this opportunity. There will be no change in 'Act East', no change in 'Make in North East'," said Singh.

Starson Lamkang of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN (K), who is suspected to have played a key role in organising the June 4 ambush in Manipur's Chandel District, considered as the deadliest attack on security forces in two decades, was reportedly injured in yesterday's operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the go ahead to the Indian Army for "hot pursuit" of militants into Myanmar in which two militant camps were completely annihilated.

According to reports, the operations took place in Ukhrul, Manipur, and in Tuensang district of Nagaland, where a mixed group of militants attempted to infiltrate into India. Militants belonging to People's Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) have been killed.