| Staff REPORTER |
Itanagar, Sep 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the North East is emerging as the “driving force of India’s development,” as he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore in Arunachal Pradesh.
Addressing a large gathering at IG Park here, the Prime Minister invoked the blessings of Donyi Polo and lauded the patriotism and hospitality of the people. “Arunachal is not only the land of the rising sun but also of rising patriotism. Just as the first colour of the national flag is saffron, Arunachal’s spirit too begins with saffron,” he said.
He added that every visit to the state fills him with pride and joy, and that the state represents a “confluence of peace and culture,” from the Tawang Monastery to the Golden Pagoda in Namsai.
Modi said his visit was significant for three reasons. First, it coincided with the first day of Navratri, when devotees worship Maa Shailputri, daughter of the Himalayas. Second, he launched next-generation GST reforms and the GST Savings Festival, aimed at giving relief to households during the festive season. Third, he inaugurated multiple projects in Arunachal across power, connectivity, healthcare, tourism, and women’s welfare.
The Prime Minister recalled that despite Arunachal Pradesh’s immense natural wealth and hardworking people, the state was long neglected by earlier governments in Delhi. “Those who governed before believed that with only two Lok Sabha seats, Arunachal did not matter. This mindset caused great harm to the state and to the Northeast,” he said.
After 2014, Modi said, the Centre changed its approach to Nation First. “The Northeast, once ignored, is now central to our development priorities. Ministers and officers are expected to visit and stay here, ensuring last-mile delivery.
In the last decade, Union Ministers have visited the Northeast over 800 times,” the PM said, adding that he himself has visited the region more than 70 times.
Citing figures, he said Arunachal received only Rs 6,000 crore from central taxes in the decade before 2014, compared to over Rs 1 lakh crore in the last ten years under his government — 16 times more.
The Prime Minister highlighted projects such as the Sela Tunnel, Hollongi Airport with direct Delhi flights, and upcoming heliports under the UDAN scheme. These, he said, are transforming travel, boosting tourism, and helping local farmers and industries transport their produce to national markets.
The Prime Minister also underlined the success of the Vibrant Villages Programme, which is transforming border villages once dismissed as “last villages” into “first villages.” Over 450 such villages in Arunachal now have roads, electricity, and internet, reducing migration and creating new tourism hubs.
Tourism in Arunachal has doubled in the past decade, he said.
Modi listed social initiatives including new medical colleges, a cancer institute, and Ayushman Bharat health coverage. Farmers, he said, are benefitting from PM-Kisan and horticulture schemes, giving Arunachal’s produce like kiwi, orange, cardamom, and pineapple national recognition.
On GST reforms, the Prime Minister said households will now save more on essentials like food items, school supplies, clothing, and footwear. He announced a simplified two-slab GST structure of 5% and 18%, and said incomes up to Rs 12 lakh have been exempted from tax.
Calling for adoption of Swadeshi, Modi urged citizens to “buy and sell only Indian products” to accelerate the progress of Arunachal, the Northeast, and the nation. “India will become developed only when it becomes self-reliant,” he said.
Describing the region as the Ashtalakshmi of India, Modi said the eight states of the Northeast cannot be left behind in the development journey. “The Northeast is emerging as the driving force of the nation’s development,” he declared.