Peace, Progress, and Connectivity: Amit Shah Details Growth Story of Northeast at Youth event
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, attended the North-East Students’ & Youth Parliament in New Delhi today as the Chief Guest. The event was organized by the Student Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL).
The Union Home Minister described the North-East as a priceless jewel of Indian culture, rich in heritage that enhances the cultural fabric of India.
He highlighted the region's immense potential to attract global attention, especially from a tourism perspective. He also praised the youth of the North-East for having the highest IQ in India and noted that the region is home to some of the most hard-working tribes.
Shah emphasized that the North-East is a land of diversity, with over 220 tribal groups, 160 tribes, 200 dialects and languages, 50 unique festivals, and more than 30 world-renowned dance forms.
Amit Shah acknowledged that despite its many unique qualities, the North-East fell behind in development due to a time when insurgency and separatism were fuelled by creating various illusions and disputes.
He pointed out that violence, bandhs, drugs, blockades, and regionalism fragmented the region, causing a divide not only between the North-East and the rest of the country but also among the states within the region.
As a result, the North-East faced a 40-year delay in development, with terrorism and separatist groups being the primary obstacles during this period.
Amit Shah said that whenever his party came to power, it always prioritized the North-East. He mentioned that previously, there was no separate ministry for such a large and underdeveloped region, but it was established during the government led by Atal ji.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the North-East has become a focus in every program of the Central Government. Shah emphasized that the greatest achievement of the Modi government is reducing the distance between the North-East and the rest of India.
He announced that by 2027, all state capitals in the North-East will be connected by rail, air, and road networks. He added that Prime Minister Modi not only enhanced physical connectivity between the North-East and the rest of India but also worked to bridge the emotional divide.
Shah highlighted that the Modi government kept the North-East at the heart of every plan, engaging in discussions with insurgent groups one by one, understanding their concerns, and working to bring them into the mainstream through agreements.
Amit Shah stated that the North-East is now experiencing peace. Between 2004 and 2014, there were 11,000 incidents of violence in the region, whereas from 2014 to 2024, this number decreased by nearly 70%, dropping to 3,428.
He said that there is a 70% reduction in the deaths of security forces and an 89% reduction in civilian deaths.
Shah mentioned that the Modi government signed agreements with all insurgent groups, leading to over 10,500 rebels surrendering their weapons and reintegrating into the mainstream. He emphasized that in the past 10 years, 12 significant agreements had been signed with insurgent groups.
Under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat initiative, the government has respected and preserved the languages, dialects, cultures, costumes, traditional dances, and arts of the North-East, while fostering an atmosphere of peace across the region by encouraging the surrender of weapons by more than 10,000 individuals.
Amit Shah stated that the development of any region is not possible without peace, as peace is a fundamental precondition for progress. He emphasized that the Modi Government has focused on establishing peace in the North-East.
Shah highlighted the significant benefits the North-East has gained from space technology under the Modi Government, with around 110 schemes being implemented through the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC).
He further mentioned that for flood management in the North-East, satellite mapping and topography have been used to plan the construction of more than 300 lakes in the region, which will ensure permanent flood management in the coming days.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that during the tenure of the Modi government, several efforts have been made for the development of the North-East region over the past 10 years.
The govt. has increased the budgetary provisions for the region. He stated that, compared to the year 2014-15, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has increased the budget by 153 per cent for the year 2024-25.
He also mentioned that for better connectivity, ₹41,000 crores have been spent on roads, and ₹47,000 crores have been spent separately on rural roads. He said that, in a way, the Modi government has spent ₹90,000 crores in the North-East specifically for roads.
Shah mentioned that 64 new air routes were started for air connectivity, ₹4,800 crores were spent on the Vibrant Village program, while ₹18,000 crores were allocated for Railways.
Amit Shah said that today, India's largest Rail-cum-Road bridge has been constructed over the Brahmaputra River. He mentioned that PM Modi built the Bhupen Hazarika Setu, provided Arunachal Pradesh with a green field airport, achieved 100 per cent electrification of the Railway network, and that a new railway line is being constructed from Assam to Bhutan.
Shah added that by 2027, the capitals of all the states in the North-East will be connected by train, air, and road.
Under the Modi government, not only the physical distance of the North East has been reduced, but also the distance between hearts has been shortened. He also noted that the goal of 100 per cent organic farming in Sikkim has been accomplished during the tenure of our government.
He said that today, a ₹27,000 crore semiconductor plant is coming to Assam, which will provide job opportunities for the youth. Shri Shah mentioned that an investment of ₹2.5 lakh crore is coming to the North-East.
He stated that the foundation for this development was laid during last 10 years under the Modi government, and in the next 10 years, no child from the North-East will have to go to another part of the country for work; they will find employment right there.
The Union Home Minister said that during the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, we made a pledge that by 2047, India will be a fully developed nation and will be a global leader in every field. He stated that by 2047, Mother India will stand before the world with her full strength and energy.
He added that in every field, India should lead the world; this dream of Maharshi Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda is now beginning to be realized. Shri Shah mentioned that to involve the youth in this process, our government has made several efforts.
He said that PM Modi was the first to introduce the New Education Policy, in which we emphasized preserving our languages and giving importance to mother tongues.
He added that through the New Education Policy, our education system will be both local and global, creating many opportunities for the youth.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the North-East is very close to the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.
He stated that the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister PM Modi, is fully committed not only to budget allocation but also to the development, unity, and peace of the North-East.
Amit Shah remarked that while the Student Parliament is a commendable event, it should not be an isolated occurrence.
Instead, a system should be established to bridge the Student Parliament with other organizations and Vidyarthi Prishad, ensuring that all youth organizations contribute to the nation’s strength.
He emphasized that the Vidyarthi Prishad not only guides youth in the right direction but also plays a vital role in shaping their character.
He further praised the world’s largest student organization for consistently prioritizing the nation in every endeavor, whether it be cooperating in times of disaster or assisting during national crises.
Union Home Minister also lauded the Students' Experience in Inter-State Living (SEIL) for its role in emotionally connecting the North-East with the rest of the country.
He highlighted that today, over 4,000 families across the country are hosting children from the North-East, engaging with them through SEIL, which he described as having unmatched strength.
Shah credited the Vidyarthi Prishad for creating a sense of organizational dedication, which has allowed initiatives like SEIL to continue successfully for so many years. (PIB)
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