Modi flag off train in Arunachal Pradesh

Fri 20 Feb 2015

Itanagar, February 20, 2015 (Agencies) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning assured the people of Arunachal Pradesh that they would witness much more progress over the next five years as compared to what it has achieved in the past 28 years.

Mr. Modi said this while addressing a large public gathering in Itanagar on the occasion of the 29th Statehood Day function of Arunachal Pradesh. The Prime Minister also flagged off the first train connecting the frontier state with Delhi at the Statehood Day function.

The Naharlagun-Delhi air-conditioned weekly express train flagged off by Mr. Modi will complete the 2100-km long journey in 38 hours connecting Naharlagun station, about 10 km off Itanagar, with Delhi.

Mr. Modi also flagged off Naharlagun-Guwahati intercity express at the function in presence of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, Governor Lt Gen (retd) Nirbhay Sharma and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu. The Prime Minister also inaugurated a water supply scheme for Itanagar and laid the foundation stone for a 132 KV transmission line.

“Rail network is the backbone of development. Railways will emerge as strength for Arunachal Pradesh's development. With rail connectivity, I am sure tourism will increase, people will see the beauty

of this land,” he said in his speech. “Arunachal Pradesh is getting both “gati” (momentum) and urja (energy) today,” he added.

The Prime Minister said that a big impediment in development of the Northeast region is connectivity, be it rail, roads or air. “The more connectivity increases, faster is the development,” he said.

He appealed to the people of Arunachal Pradesh to extend their cooperation in harnessing the huge hydropower potential of the state for their own progress and for lighting up the entire country. Mr. Modi cited the examples of how Nepal and Bhutan were harnessing hydropower to transform their economy, and how Himachal Pradesh had done the same for India.

He said Arunachal Pradesh could provide electricity to the entire country. He called for providing proper compensation to people who get affected by hydropower projects.

The Prime Minster said that the North-east region can become organic farming capital of India and added that his government plans to set up six new agriculture colleges in the region. He said that “Make in Northeast” was being envisaged as an integral part of “Make in India.”

He said that only sloganeering cannot end poverty. “A roadmap is needed and we need to work on it,” he added.

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