Srinagar: Sending a strong message to China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said Arunachal Pradesh is, was, and shall always be an integral part of Bharat.
“Arunachal Pradesh is, was, and shall always be an integral part of Bharat. Today, the development works are reaching Arunachal and the Northeast like the first rays of the sun, faster than ever before. Last month, I visited Itanagar for Viksit Bharat, Viksit North East program. I had the privilege to unveil Rs 55,000 crore worth of development projects that are providing guarantees for Viksit North East,” PM Modi told Assam Tribune in an interview.
He said around 35,000 families in Arunachal Pradesh got their pucca houses, and 45,000 households benefited from the drinking water supply project. “I inaugurated the Sela Tunnel which is a real strategic game-changer providing all-weather connectivity to Tawang. In 2022, we inaugurated the Donyi Polo Airport for enhanced air linkages to the rest of the nation. On the energy front, the Dibang Multipurpose Project will contribute to employment, energy, and water resource management. We have commenced new road projects for about 125 villages and tourism and other infrastructure-related projects in 150 villages. The government has also launched a Rs 10,000 crore UNNATI,” he said
On Manipur, he said it is the collective responsibility to deal with the situation sensitively. “I have already spoken about this in the Parliament. We’ve dedicated our best resources and administrative machinery to resolving the conflict. Because of the timely intervention of the Government of India and efforts made by the Government of Manipur, there has been a marked improvement in the situation of the State. Home Minister Amit Shah stayed in Manipur while the conflict was at its peak, holding 15-plus meetings with various stakeholders to help resolve the conflict. The Central Government has been consistently extending its support, as required by the State Government. The process of relief and rehabilitation is ongoing. Remedial measures undertaken include a financial package for the relief and rehabilitation of people living in shelter camps in the State,” he said.
On insurgency in the Northeast, PM Modi said a total of 11 peace agreements have been signed in the last 10 years. “This is unprecedented progress unseen under any previous government. More than 9,500 insurgents have surrendered since 2014 and joined the mainstream of the society. Due to the relentless efforts of our government, the entire Northeast is now witnessing a significant improvement in the security situation since 2014,” he said.
Giving data, he said that compared to 2014, there has been a 71 percent reduction in insurgency incidents in 2023. Similarly, in this period, security force casualties have come down by 60 percent and civilian deaths by 82 percent.
“Due to the improved security situation, the AFSPA has been withdrawn from most parts of the Northeast. We have successfully negotiated Border Dispute Settlement Agreements between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh which has put an end to the longstanding dispute concerning 123 villages along the border. We have resolved the 50-year-old dispute between Assam and Meghalaya. Peace agreements like the Bodo Accord and the Bru-Reang Agreement have led to several insurgents and militants surrendering their arms and joining the mainstream,” he said
“ We have strengthened Autonomous Councils to accelerate the development process for the welfare of Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities through democratic decentralization of power through Constitutional amendment. We have launched schemes aimed at rehabilitating insurgents, facilitating their transition into mainstream society through financial support and comprehensive rehabilitation processes. We have put an end to the era of blockades in the Northeast which caused great inconvenience to everyone and hampered the region’s development. All the efforts we have made have ushered in an era of peace in the region,” he added.
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