Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited Imphal and said Northeast is now becoming the gateway to India's development, as he inaugurated 13 projects worth around Rs 1,850 crore and laid the foundation stone of nine projects worth around Rs 2,950 crore. The projects relate to diverse sectors such as Road Infrastructure, Drinking Water Supply, Health, Urban Development, Housing, Information Technology, Skill Development, Art and Culture, among others.
While addressing the people during the visit, Modi recalled that even before he became the prime minister, he visited Manipur many times and understands the pain of the people.
"That's why after 2014, I have brought Delhi - Government of India to your doorstep... The North East, which Netaji called the gateway to India's independence, is becoming the gateway to fulfilling the dreams of a new India," he said.
During the visit, Modi laid the foundation stone of five National Highway projects to be built at a cost of over Rs 1,700 crore. He inaugurated the Steel Bridge built over the Barak River on NH-37, at a cost of over Rs 75 crore, which is expected to ease the traffic between Silchar and Imphal. He also dedicated to the people of Manipur 2,387 mobile towers built at a cost of around Rs 1,100 crore.
The prime minister also inaugurated a ₹280 crore worth ‘Water Transmission system of Thoubal Multi-purpose project’, which will provide drinking water supply to the Imphal city; the Water Supply Scheme project built at the cost of Rs 65 crore, to provide safe drinking water to residents of 10 habitations of Tamenglong district and the ‘Augmentation of Senapati District Headquarter Water Supply Scheme’ built at a cost of Rs 51 crore to provide a regular water supply to the residents of the area.
Modi also inaugurated the ‘200-Bedded Covid Hospital at Kiyamgei’ in Imphal which has been set up at a cost of about Rs 37 crore in collaboration with DRDO. He then laid the foundation stone of a ‘State of the Art Cancer Hospital’ in Imphal worth around Rs 160 crore on a PPP basis.
He inaugurated three projects under ‘Imphal Smart City Mission’, developed at a cost of more than Rs 170 crore, including the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC)’, ‘Development of Western Riverfront on Imphal River (Phase I)’ and ‘Development of Mall Road at Thangal Bazar (Phase I)’.
Modi also laid the foundation stones of ‘Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT)’ to be built in the state at a cost of about Rs 200 crore, and the construction of the Manipur Institute of Performing Arts at Gurgaon, Haryana, to be built at a cost of over Rs 240 crore.
Addressing the gathering during his visit, the prime minister said Manipur will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of its statehood day on January 21. This fact, along with the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav on 75 years of its independence is a major inspiration in itself. He said the belief in freedom among the people of the country, started here from the land of Moirang, where Netaji Subhash's Army hoisted the national flag for the first time.
The prime minister said that his Government has resolved to 'Act East' for the Northeast. He said God has given so many natural resources, so much potential to this region. There are so many possibilities for development and tourism here. He added that work is now being done to realise these possibilities in the North East. Northeast is now becoming the gateway to India's development, he added.
Modi said Manipur has been a state giving one of the rarest gems for the country. The youth here and especially the daughters of Manipur have made the country proud all over the world. Especially today the youth of the country are taking inspiration from the players of Manipur.
Today, hundreds of youths across the North East have left arms and joined the mainstream of development, the prime minister said, adding that the agreements which were pending for decades, the current government has taken these historical accords to conclusion. From a ‘blockade state’ , Manipur has become a state giving way for international trade, he added.
