Road to 'new India' will go through 'new north-east': Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the road to "new India" will go through a developed and peaceful "new north-east".

The dream of a "new India" would be realised with the vision of a "new north-east", he said, addressing the concluding meeting of the 67th plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC), a regional planning body.

The two-day NEC plenary session in Meghalaya's capital Shillong was attended by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh, besides the governors and chief ministers of the eight north-eastern states as members.

Singh said a "new north-east" would emerge through better road connectivity and information technology, which would help realise the economic potential of the region.

Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a dream of a new India by 2022, he said the north-east needed better road connectivity and the region had recently made some progress in this area.

"If we can provide quality broadband services in the region, the youth will find employment opportunities closer home," he added.

The senior BJP leader also said this would stop the migration of people from the region to distant places.

Stressing that the ITIs and polytechnic institutes in the region should contribute to skill development, Singh said the NEC should consider setting up a Regional Institute for Skill Development.

Underlining the importance of employment and income generation to counter insurgency in the region, he said, "The north-eastern states need to create a conducive environment for private investments, an atmosphere that makes the investors feel safe. It will give a big boost to investments."