Prime minister on project spree in ne

Prime minister on project spree in ne

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday the Act East policy of his government would soon make Mizoram the gateway to the South East Asian countries. He also announced Rs 90,000 crore for improving roads and national highways in the Northeast in the next two to three years to facilitate better connectivity.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation a 271km two-lane national highway connecting Tura in western Meghalaya and Shillong.

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, linking Aizawl with Sittwe port in Myanmar, would provide wide-ranging benefits for the state, he said.

The development of the Rih-Tiddim road and establishment of numerous rural haats (flea markets) along the Mizoram-Myanmar border would also increase the trade volume, Modi told a public meeting at the Assam Rifles ground in Aizawl after inaugurating the 60MW Tuirial hydroelectric power project.

The high literacy rate, presence of a large number of English-speaking people and good hospitality could transform Mizoram into a model tourist destination, he said, adding that the Centre was committed to linking all the state capitals in the North-east by rail.

Speaking of infrastructure schemes in the region, the Prime Minister said the Centre had launched the North East Special Infrastructure Scheme to fill in the gaps in the basic facilities.

He added that the Centre would provide Rs 5,300 crore to the northeastern states under the scheme over the next three years.

Stating that poor connectivity was one of the biggest hurdles in the path of development of the Northeast, Modi said his government had sanctioned over 3,800km of national highway, with an investment of Rs 32,000 crore, over the last three years.

Nearly 1,200km of roads had already been constructed, he added.

Meghalaya was the second stop of the Prime Minister during his daylong visit.

"Over the next two to three years, an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore is proposed under the Special Accelerated Road Development Project in the Northeast and an investment of Rs 30,000 crore under Bharatmala is proposed for development of national highways," Modi told a BJP rally in Shillong. He said the central government has sanctioned around 4,000-km of national highway (NH) across the Northeast at a cost of Rs 32,000 crore. The prime minister said that over 1,200 km of NH was constructed at an expenditure of nearly Rs 14,000 crore during the last three years alone. Union Minister K J Alphons was present on the occasion. PTI

Courtesy : The Telegraph