Excelsior Correspondent
THENZAWL (MIZORAM), Apr 14 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said today that the Modi government is committed to ensure equitable development of hitherto neglected regions, which were not a priority for the earlier Congress governments at the Centre and the States.
Addressing a public rally in support of the BJP candidate in the by-election to Serchhip Assembly Constituency here, Dr Jitendra Singh said that as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had so far visited North Eastern States as many as around 50 times, out of which Mizoram, though one of the smallest States of the country with just around one million population, was also visited by him a number of times. This, he said, is quite in contrast to the earlier Prime Ministers, many of whom had never even once visited this peripheral State. What to speak of the Prime Ministers, even the Union Ministers in the last over six decades hardly found it important or spared time to visit Mizoram, he added.
This, said Dr Jitendra Singh, is the difference of approach between the earlier governments and the present government at the Centre headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, soon after taking over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had pledged that he would give special attention to the eastern regions of the country because these had suffered negligence in the past, but without the equitable development of these regions, the overall wholesome growth of Mother India was not possible.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, he is possibly the first Union Minister in so many years to have visited this small township of Thenzawl. This, he said, is itself an evidence of how this government gives equal priority to every region depending on its requirements and regardless of its size, population or the vote bank consideration. Referring to new development projects in the last seven years, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the Ministry of North East (DoNER) launched “Viability Fund” to promote the Start-Ups and significantly this initiative was launched from Mizoram during Prime Minister Modi’s visit here. This, he said, was also aimed to send out a message that as long as Modi is at the helm of affairs, every region is equally important for us and there will be special focus on neglected and deprived areas.
In the last few years, Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to a number of initiatives by the Ministry of North East (DoNER), including setting up of specialised Citrus Food Park in Mizoram, besides coordinating to set up educational institutions and facilitating the setting up of Sea Port on Bay of Bengal and Railway Line to the south of the State.
Appealing for a vote in support of BJP, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, many of the Central schemes and plans of the Modi government are not able to get optimally translated on the ground, when there is a State government headed by a different political party, which is not as cooperative as expected. Therefore, he said, if we have a BJP representative in the State Assembly, which will also pave the way for a BJP government after the next election, this will also facilitate closer coordination and proper utilization of Central funds with greater accountability.
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