Development top priority in North East: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that the development of the North East region was a top priority for the Central Government and the special focus has always been on the connectivity and the infrastructure of the region.

"Since independence, the north eastern states have not received a stable development. But for the last three years, the Central Government, through its entire means, has been trying to bring development in the region," Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing the centenary celebrations of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Shillong through video-conferencing.

Prime Minister Modi further said, "Our government is also improving the electricity situation in the North East and trying to bring even more tourists to the region. With a total investment of Rs. 40,000 crore, we are trying to improve the road infrastructure in the region. We have also initiated nine big projects related to railways. We will soon connect the region with the Udaan scheme. All this is being done to make the North East the gateway to South East Asia."

The Prime Minister also said that centenary celebrations were the best way to remember the good work of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha. He expressed his best wishes to the organisation for taking the nation forward through labour and service.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah yesterday said the next government in one of the states of the North East - Tripura - would be that of the saffron party.

Highlighting the achievements of Prime Minister Modi he said, "The recent election results prove that after independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is India's most popular leader. Since Modi has come to power, the BJP has improved its condition in every poll results and in many places we have been able to form governments for the first time with a full majority. Even in the North- East, we have governments in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and a partnership in Nagaland.