Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the North East, which Netaji called the gateway to India’s independence, is becoming the gateway to fulfilling the dreams of a new India. He reiterated his belief that the eastern and north eastern parts of India will be the source of India’s progress and this is visible in the growth of the region today.
Inaugurating 13 Projects worth around Rs. 1850 crores and laying the foundation stone of 9 projects worth around Rs 2950 crore in Imphal, Manipur today, he said a few days from now, on January 21, would be the 50th anniversary of Manipur getting statehood. This fact, along with the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav on 75 years of its independence is a major inspiration in itself, he added.
Paying homage to the bravery of the people of Manipur, the Prime Minister said the belief in freedom among the people of the country, started here from the land of Moirang, where Netaji Subhash’s army hoisted the national flag for the first time.
The Prime Minister congratulated the people of Manipur for the schemes for which the foundation stone has been laid and were inaugurated today. He thanked the people of Manipur for the formation of a stable government that is governing with full majority and with full impact.
He stressed that due this stability and choice of the people of Manipur achievements like 6 lakh farmer families getting hundreds of crore rupees under Kisan Samman Nidhi; 6 lakh poor families getting benefits under PM Garib Kalyan Scheme; 80 thousand houses under PMAY; free medical treatment to 4.25 lakh patients under Ayushman Yojna; 1.5 lakh free gas connections; 1.3 lakh free electricity connections; 30 thousands toilets; more than 30 lakh free vaccine doses and oxygen plants in every district of the state could become reality.
Modi recalled that even before he became the Prime Minister, he visited Manipur many times. He said he understands their pain, “that’s why after 2014, I have brought Delhi – Government of India to your doorstep.” Every officer and Minister was asked to visit the region and serve the people as per their local needs. “You can see that there are five important faces from the region in key portfolios in the Council of Ministers ”, he added.
The Prime Minister said that his Government has resolved to ‘Act East’ for the Northeast. He said God has given so many natural resources, so much potential to this region. There are so many possibilities for development and tourism here. He added that work is now being done to realise these possibilities in the North East. Northeast is now becoming the gateway to India’s development, he added.
Modi said Manipur has been a state giving one of the rarest gems for the country. The youth here and especially the daughters of Manipur have made the country proud all over the world. Especially today the youth of the country are taking inspiration from the players of Manipur.
He said this decade of the 21st century is very important for Manipur. He lamented the loss of time in the past. He added that there is not a single moment now. “We also have to maintain stability in Manipur and also take Manipur to new heights of development. And only the double engine government can do this work”, he emphasized.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of construction of five National Highway Projects to be built at a cost of more than Rs 1700 crore. He inaugurated the Steel Bridge built over the Barak River on NH-37, at a cost of over Rs 75 crore, which would decongest traffic between Silchar and Imphal. He also dedicated to the people of Manipur 2387 mobile towers built at a cost of around Rs 1100 crores.
Prime Minister inaugurated ₹280 crore worth ‘Water Transmission system of Thoubal Multi-purpose project’, which will provide drinking water supply to the Imphal city; the Water Supply Scheme project built at the cost of Rs 65 crore, to provide safe drinking water to residents of ten habitations of Tamenglong district and the ‘Augmentation of Senapati District Headquarter Water Supply Scheme’ built at a cost of Rs. 51 crore to provide a regular water supply to the residents of the area.
