![Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh lighting a lamp at North East Youth Exchange Programme at Jammu on Sunday. — Excelsior/Rakesh Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh lighting a lamp at North East Youth Exchange Programme at Jammu on Sunday. — Excelsior/Rakesh](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/page3-112.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 11: Reiterating the Modi Government’s commitment to develop the North Eastern region, Union Minister of State with independent charge of North Eastern State, Dr Jitendra Singh said that present Government at Centre has taken many steps in this regard.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who was the chief guest at the North East Youth Exchange Programme organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports GoI) here, today in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs said “we should come out of the illusion to bring North Easter near the rest of India and in real sense the rest of India should be brought near NE”.
He said NE has been a great priority of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi who during last four years visited 25 times to this Himalayan belt. He said Narendra Modi was the first PM who visited Meghalaya and every month eight Union Ministers visit NE which shows how keen the present Government is for the development of this region.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that Ministry of DoNER has established Camp Secretariat in NE and it has been named as DoNER at door steps.
He, while highlighting the developmental programmes taken up by Modi Government for the region, said when BJP Government came to power in 2014 people of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have not seen the train and it was with the efforts of this Government that train reached there in 2014. Now Arunachal Pradesh has been linked with double gauge.
Dr Jitendra, while praising the people of NE States said that it is the land of unexplored potential which is the reason that the people are moving outside these states in search of jobs and higher education. He said Sikkim which has joined India 40 years back had no airport and Prime Minster gave directives that the work of airport be expedited.
In Gymnastics Manipur bags maximum medals for India and to give boost to sports activities in the State, Government is contemplating to set up Sports Academy in Manipur.
He said in maximum areas of these states, the roads were underdeveloped and they were called as orphan roads. But present Government made schemes for the development of these roads and soon train to Bangladesh will move via Tripura.
He said JNU Hostel for NE States is under construction at Dwarika and an International Convention Centre type institute will also be constructed while Brahmputra Study Centre has already been opened. Besides, IIM has also been established and APJ Kalam of Institute of Excellence also established.
He said NE Industrial Policy is being revived and Ministry of DoNER has established new Ventures Fund. Dr Jitendra Singh said the work done for the development of NE during Modi Government was not done by any Union Government before.
He said NE has much to offer as it has natural resources in abundance. the literacy rate in Mizoram is 96 percent and it is second after India while GDP in Sikkim is 20 percent when the national average is 10 percent only, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said these people are blessed by God also as sun rises first from NE.
The students from NE also shared their experience on the occasion. Three hundred NE contingents from the States of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim participated in the programme.
State Director, NYK, Sukhdev Singh and S S Kashyap its Deputy Director also spoke on the occasion.