Development of NE neglected by previous govt due to fewer votes, seats: PM Modi

New Delhi, Dec 6: Asserting that previous governments weighed development to votes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the progress of the northeast was not given much emphasis earlier due to fewer population and votes in the region.

Inaugurating the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav here to celebrate the vibrancy of the northeast, he said the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first to create a dedicated ministry for the region and also earmarked 20 per cent budget of every ministry for its development.

“In the last decade, we have seen a wonderful journey of the development of the northeast but it was not easy. We have taken every possible step to connect the northeastern states with India’s growth story.

“For a long time, we have seen how development was weighed against votes. Northeastern states had less votes and low seats so previous governments did not pay attention to the development of the region,” he said.

Modi said he strongly believes that the coming days are of eastern India and the northeast. Like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru, cities of the region such as Guwahati, Shillong, Imphal, Itanagar and Aizawl will be new beacons of growth, the prime minister said.

With its vibrant culture and dynamic people, the northeast holds immense potential to propel India’s growth, he said.

The prime minister said during the last decade his government tried to reduce the feeling among people about the gap of Delhi and ‘Dil’ with the northeast.

Union ministers made 700 visits to the northeast in the last decade and his government was connecting the region with the trinity of emotion, economy and ecology, he said.

The first-ever Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav is being be celebrated from December 6 to 8 at the Bharat Mandapam here. This festival aims to showcase the beauty, diversity, and promise of the eight states of northeastern states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sikkim. Together they are known as the ‘Ashtalakshmi’.