Strengthening our Northeast will boost India's Act East policy: PM Modi

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Manipur Water Supply Project, through video conferencing, the PM said, "Strengthening our Northeast strengthens our Act East policy."

Modi said, Our North East is, in a way, the gateway to our ancient cultural relationships with East Asia and the future of Trade, Travel and Tourism. With this thinking, there is an emphasis on connectivity-related infrastructure in the entire North East including Manipur.

The PM said that modern infrastructure is being laid in the North East along with Roadways, Highways, Airways, Waterways and i-ways as well as gas pipelines.

"Thousands of crores of rupees have been invested in the entire North East infrastructure in the last 6 years. The work of connecting the capitals of every state of the North East with an excellent rail network is going on fast. Apart from roads and railways, air connectivity of North East is equally important," the PM said.

Describing Northeast India as a great symbol of India's natural, cultural diversity and cultural strength, the PM said, "In such a situation, tourism gets a lot of strength when modern infrastructure is built. Tourism potential of the North East including Manipur is still unexplored."

He said that the Manipur water supply project would reduce water problems for the people

"Today is a big day for millions of Manipur colleagues including Imphal, especially our sisters. Manipur water supply project, to be completed at a cost of about 3 thousand crore rupees, is going to reduce water problems for the people here," the PM said.

Modi said he is giving a “Raksha Bandhan gift” to women of Manipur.

"This project will give clean drinking water to Greater Imphal and 1,700 villages in Manipur. It will provide a lifeline to these people. It will help women in as many as one lakh families in the state," he said.

The PM said that the project has been designed with the help of local panchayats and people living here.

"The Manipur Water Supply project will also generate employment for thousands of people," Modi said.

The PM said that in the last six years, there is a huge movement of Ease of Living in India.

"Ease of Living is a necessary condition of a better life. Money may be less, maybe more but the ease of living is the right of everyone, every poor has the right. Therefore, in the last 6 years, there has been a huge movement of Ease of Living in India," the PM said.

Noting that Northeastern India is dealing with a double challenge (Covid-19 and floods), the PM said, "Heavy rainfall has caused huge damages, several people lost lives, many are displaced. I express my sympathies to all affected families. I assure you that the country stands with you in this tough time: During lockdown, the state government worked to ensure that the needy have all essentials available to them."

Image Credit: BJP Twitter