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North-East can be the New Engine of India’s growth: PM Narendra Modi

Published By : Admin | March 16, 2018 | 13:00 IST
Woman power in Manipur has always been a source of inspiration for the country: PM Modi
India’s growth story shall never be complete until the eastern part of our country progresses at par with the western part: PM Narendra Modi

Khurumjari.

Eik-Hoigi Sarkar-Boothaja-Biriba Manipur-Gi Praja Pum-Namaku Thagat-Chari

First of all many congratulations to the people of Manipur,

Yesterday, the state government has completed one year under the leadership of chief minister Shri N. Biren Singh Ji. How the government is being run, how the work on development schemes is being done, what is the meaning of stability, what is the impact if both the state government and central government work together, today the answer for all these questions is being given by this grand image of Manipur.

The spark in your eyes and your happiness reveal that how well the state government has been performing. All of us are extremely grateful to you people for the way you people have turned up in such a large number from far flung areas to bless us.

I convey my sincere regards to the people of Manipur, to its administration and also to the state government for the work done and the achievements made in the last one year.

I remember that when I came here in the February last year then I had said that our state government will do that kind of work in 15 months which the Congress government had not done in the last 15 years. It is still three months short of the 15 months but a visible change can be seen in Manipur. The government of Biren Ji has changed the negativity that had crept in the society due to the policies and decisions of previous government. Be it law and order or be it corruption or transparency or be it the work related to infrastructure, the government of Manipur has been working at a rapid pace on all these fronts.

Friends,

Today, I have got the good opportunity to either publicly dedicate or start the schemes worth nearly Rs. 750 crore for the development of Manipur. These schemes are directly related to the dreams of youth of Manipur, directly related with their talent and employment, directly related to the empowerment of women and also with the connectivity in the region. I am confident that these schemes will take the development of the state to new heights.

Brothers and sisters,

Today, sports is just not confined to being a medium of entertainment or just a mean to stay healthy. This in itself is an industry. Today, it’s a full time career too. It has been an effort of our government to provide every facility to the youth of this country in addition to providing the modern training for sports. Given the talent and capabilities of millions of youth of the North-East, the central government had especially decided to establish a national sports university here with an investment of Rs. 500 crore. I am happy that two courses have started here from January this year. When the work on the campus, the foundation for which has been laid by me today, will be complete then it will further help in bringing out the sport related talent of the youth of this place and provide training to them.

Brothers and sisters,

Our government has been working with the determination to make the country a sporting super power. Recently we have launched a national programme for development of sports under the name of Khelo India. Every year up to Rs. 5 lakh will be spent on each of one thousand talented athletes who will be selected under the Khelo India programme. I also urge the youth of Manipur to take the maximum advantage of this scheme. We have also focussed on the identification and development of talent at school level. Recently Khelo India School Games were organised in Delhi under this scheme. I am happy that Manipur established its reputation in that as well and secured the fifth place in the medal tally. Manipur won 34 medals, including 13 gold medals, by leaving behind the large states of the country. I convey many congratulations to the youth of Manipur for this feat. Apart from Manipur, children from other NE states have also come out with excellent performances in these games.

Friends,

Today, another big project related to sports has been dedicated to public here. The first Multi Sports Complex of Manipur has now been handed over to the youth of the state.

Youths of the state will not only receive training in this Multi Sports Complex but they will also be able to organise good tournaments here.

Brothers and sisters,

Manipur is that state which has proved the concept of women empowerment through sports. The women players of the state have brought laurels for the country in the events like Olympics and Commonwealth Games. This state has given several champions like Mary Kom, Mirabai Chanu, Bombayla Devi, Laishram and Sarita Devi in the games like football, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting and archery.

Woman power in this state has always been a source of inspiration for the country. Today on this occasion, I salute the great revolutionary and daughter of the nation Rani Gaidinliu. I am also privileged to inaugurate today a park dedicated in her name.

Friends,  

Girls’ education is the foundation for women empowerment. Only sometime back the Central Government launched nationwide ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ Program. The Program has elicited nationwide positive results.   I am happy that the State government is working to reduce the problems faced by the girls in Hill and Tribal areas for their education. The state government has undertaken construction of a new hostel for girls in the tribal areas.   I am fortunate to inaugurate one such hostel today. Women in Manipur are proactively involved in areas ranging from farming to handicrafts.  An all Women Market was envisaged so that women do not face any hardship in selling their products. Manipur Government led by Shri Biren ji is getting such markets constructed in the entire state. I have just inaugurated one such market. I would request Shri Birenji to also popularize government e-market place in the state. This is a platform through which you can sell products to the government.  Women in Manipur can get huge benefit from this.  Today I also inaugurated 1000 Anganwadi Centers in the State. These centers will work as a medium for improving the health of thousands of Mothers and their babies.  

They will also benefit from the recently launched National Nutrition Mission on Women’s Day.  The objective of the Mission is to have a targeted approach on providing nutritious food, cleanliness, and vaccination.  

Doctors, Teachers and Nurses posted in remote and far flung areas of Hill Districts face many hardships due to lack of proper accomodation at their respective places of posting.  To address this problem, I have laid the foundation stone for construction of acomodation for teachers, Doctors and Nurses at 19 specified locations in hill and remote areas. I am sure this will go a long way in motivating medical personnel to render dedicated services to the people of these areas.  

Friends.  

Our Government’s vision for the North East has been ‘Transformation by Transportation.’ Our focus is on connectivity. Work is also in progress for connecting remote areas of Manipur by helicopter service. Government is also working on various road projects. I have also laid the foundation of an important road project today.  

Manipur has a lot to offer on the tourism front:  Forests and wildlife, blue hills, lush green valleys, picturesque tea gardens, and diverse culture. Highly educated English speaking youth in the region make for a perfect case for developing Manipur as a model tourist destination. If tapped well, the sector can emerge as the biggest employer in the region. 

I also laid the foundation stone for eco-tourism at CheiraoChing, which is a popular hill near Imphal.  The foundation stone for a Cave Tourism project has also been laid.  

Friends.  

I have always maintained that India’s growth story shall never be complete until the eastern part of our country progresses at par with the western part. The North-East can be the New Engine of India’s growth. We are addressing the special needs of the North East Region to enable growth parity with the rest of the country.   

Various Ministries have been providing special dispensation for the North East under their ongoing schemes. All Union Ministries are mandated to spend 10% of their budget in the region and the full utilization of this entitlement is the endeavour of my Government. I have mandated my Cabinet colleagues to regularly visit the region and take stock of schemes for their effective implementation.  Till date more than 200 such visits have taken place by the Union Ministers.  I have visited the North East more than 25 times in the last 4 years.  

The Central Government has given a huge thrust on improving the infrastructure in the region. In the last three years, on an average Rs.5,300 crore have been spent annually for development of Rail Network in the North East Region, which is two and half times of average spending in the previous 5 years. The Jiribam Station in Manipur was connected by the broad gauge rail network in 2016. I had flagged off the first passenger train to Jiribam in May 2016. Today, seven out of eight States of North Eastern India are connected by Rail Network. Projects are going on to connect the remaining State capitals including Imphal in North East to broad gauge network.  

 One of the highest bridges in the world having Pier height of 141 meter is being built on Jiribam-Imphal New Line Project. A tunnel of 11.55 km length on the same route will be another milestone feature of this project.  

At the beginning of 2014 the State had only 1200 kilometres of total declared length of National Highways.  But, in the last four years we have declared another 460 kilometres length of Roads as National Highways, which is an increase of 38%.  In next 3 to 4 years, the Central Government is going to invest about Rs.30,000 Crores for development of National Highways and other important roads in Manipur State.  

 Apart from constructing National Highways, we are also focusing on connecting rural habitations with main roads under Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojana. The Central Government has released more than Rs.1000 Crores in the last 4 years under this scheme to the state. We have connected 150 habitations during this period.  All these efforts are reflection of our commitment for developing road connectivity in the State.  

The Union Government has approved a new Central Sector Scheme of “North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme.” This will fill up gaps in creation of infrastructure in specified sectors.  

Friends,

I had urged all the Directors General of Police during their 2014 Annual Conference held in Guwahati to broad base police recruitment. Accordingly, in order to maintain cosmopolitan character of Delhi Police, we have taken steps to increase the number of Police Personnel from the North East Region. I am happy to share that 438 candidates including 136 female candidates from North East States have joined Delhi Police in 2016. Of these, 49 candidates are from Manipur State.

Recently, Government of India has sanctioned ten India Reserve Battalions for North Eastern States which include two battalions for Manipur. These two battalions will directly provide job opportunities to about 2,000 youth in the State.

We have established an administration that is citizen-centric and, we have started the process of regular and structured interaction with the public. These interactions were unheard of in the history of Manipur. “Meeyamgi Numit” and “Hill Leaders’ Day” are efforts in this direction. I am told, 24 such interactions have happened in which more than 19 thousand people have met the Chief Minister.

I am told, that the State Government is taking public grievances very seriously. A Grievance Cell has also been set up in the Chief Minister’s Office with a toll free number.

The ‘Go to Hills’ initiative of the Government is a welcome step. The Chief Minister with his entire cabinet has also travelled to all the hill districts to take the Government closer to the people.

Once Manipur decides something, no force can prevent it from happening. In April 1944, it was in this land of Manipur that Netaji Bose's INA gave the clarion call for freedom. It energised the nation and gave much needed strength to the freedom struggle.

Today, Manipur has decided to play a important role in the rise of a New India. In the last one year, Manipur has demonstrated what politics of development and good governance truly is.

Friends,

The love that you people bestowed on us a year ago that today we are able to do all these things.

I would like to assure you people that the team of Shriman N. Birensingh Ji will continue to get to full cooperation from my side.

Once again I congratulate the state government for completing one year and to the people of the state and especially the youth of the state for these projects of development.

Once again thank you very much to all of you.

Mayamaboo,

Thagat-Chari.

 

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Today I have come to speak on a very important subject, especially to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the country! Today every citizen of India is watching how the flight of women power has been stopped. Their dreams have been ruthlessly crushed. Despite our utmost efforts, we could not succeed, the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act could not be passed! And for this, I seek forgiveness from all the mothers and sisters.

Friends,

For us, national interest is paramount, but when for some people party interest becomes everything, when party interest becomes bigger than national interest, then women power and national interest have to bear the consequences. This time too, the same has happened. The selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party has harmed the women power of the country.

Friends,

Yesterday, the eyes of crores of women in the country were on Parliament, the women power of the nation was watching. I too felt very sad to see that when this proposal in favor of women fell, parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and SP, family-oriented parties, were clapping with joy. By snatching away the rights of women, they were thumping the tables. What they did was not just thumping on the tables, it was a blow to the self-respect and dignity of women. And women forget everything, but they never forget their insult. Therefore, the pain of the behavior of Congress and its allies in Parliament will always remain in the hearts of women. Whenever the women of the country see these leaders in their areas, they will remember that it was these very people who celebrated in Parliament when women’s reservation was stopped, they rejoiced. To those parties who opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment in Parliament yesterday, I will say clearly: these people are taking women power for granted. They are forgetting that the women of the 21st century are watching every event in the country, they are sensing their intentions, and they have fully understood the truth. Therefore, for opposing women’s reservation, the sin committed by the opposition will surely bring punishment to them. These parties have also insulted the sentiments of the framers of the Constitution, and they will not escape the punishment from the people either.

Friends,

The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was not about taking anything away from anyone. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was about giving something to everyone, it was an amendment to give. It was about giving women the right that has been pending for 40 years, from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections onwards.

The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was a great effort to give new opportunities, new flight, and to remove obstacles from the path of the women of 21st century India. It was a sacred effort made with clear intent and honesty to give rights to 50% of the country’s population. It was an effort to make women co-travelers in India’s journey of development and to include everyone. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment is the demand of the time. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was an effort to equally increase the strength of every state, North, South, East, West. It was an effort to give more strength to the voice of every state in Parliament. Whether the state is small or big, whether the population is less or more, it was an effort to increase everyone’s strength in equal proportion. But this honest effort has been subjected to foeticide in Parliament by Congress and its allies, foeticide. Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, DMK—these parties are guilty of this foeticide. They are criminals against the Constitution of the country, they are criminals against the women power of the country.

Friends,

Congress hates the subject of women’s reservation, it has always conspired to stop women’s reservation. Every time efforts were made in this direction, Congress obstructed them. This time too, Congress and its allies relied on one falsehood after another to stop women’s reservation. Sometimes about numbers, sometimes in other ways, Congress and its allies tried to mislead the country. By doing so, these parties have revealed their true face before the women power of India. They have removed their mask.

Friends,

Personally, I had hoped that Congress would correct its decades-old mistake. Congress would repent for its sins. But Congress lost the opportunity to create history, to stand in favor of women. Congress has already lost its existence in most parts of the country. Congress is surviving like a parasite, riding on the back of regional parties. But Congress does not even want regional parties to grow stronger, so Congress conspired politically to push the future of many regional parties into darkness by making them oppose this amendment.

Friends,

Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, TMC, and other parties have, for so many years, every time created the same excuses, the same false arguments, always inserting some technical snag, and they have looted the rights of women. The country has understood this ugly pattern of politics, and it has also understood the reason behind it.

Brothers and sisters,

One big reason for the opposition to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act is the fear of these family-oriented parties. They fear that if women become empowered, then the leadership of these family-oriented parties will be in danger. They will never want women outside their families to move forward. Today, in Panchayats and local bodies, thousands and millions of women have proven their capability. When they want to move forward into Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies, when they want to serve the country, these family-oriented parties feel insecure. After delimitation, there will be many more seats for women, women’s stature will increase, and that is why these people opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment. The women power of the country will never forgive Congress and its allies for this sin.

My dear countrymen,

Congress and its allied parties are continuously, continuously lying about delimitation. They want to ignite the fire of division under this pretext. Because “divide and rule” politics is something Congress inherited from the British. And Congress is still running on that same path today. Congress has always fueled sentiments that create rifts in the country. Therefore, this lie was spread that delimitation would harm some states! Whereas the government has made it clear from the very first day that neither the proportion of participation of any state will change, nor will anyone’s representation be reduced. In fact, the seats of all states will increase in equal proportion. Yet Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party were not ready to accept this.

Friends,

This amendment bill was an opportunity for all parties and all states. If this bill had passed, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, every state’s seats would have increased. But because of their selfish politics, these parties betrayed even the people of their own states. For example, DMK had the chance to make more Tamil people MPs and MLAs, to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s voice! But it lost that chance. TMC also had the chance to advance the people of Bengal. But TMC too lost that chance. Samajwadi Party had the chance to reduce the stain of its anti-women image. But SP missed it too. SP has already forgotten Lohia ji. By opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment, SP trampled all of Lohia ji’s dreams underfoot. SP is anti-women reservation, and the women of UP and the country will never forget this.

Friends,

By opposing women’s reservation, Congress has once again proved one thing. Congress is an anti-reform party. For a developed India in the 21st century, whatever decisions, whatever reforms are necessary, whatever decisions the country takes, Congress opposes them, rejects them, obstructs them. This is the history of Congress and this is Congress’s negative politics.

Friends,

This is the same Congress that opposed the trinity of Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile. Congress opposed digital payments. Congress opposed GST. Congress opposed reservation for the poor in the general category. Congress opposed the law against triple talaq. Congress opposed the removal of Article 370. Our Constitution, our courts, have said that the Uniform Civil Code, UCC, is necessary, but Congress opposes that too. At the very mention of reform, Congress runs with placards of protest. Any work that strengthens the country, Congress puts all its strength into creating obstacles in it. Congress opposes One Nation One Election. Congress opposes driving out infiltrators from the country. Congress opposes purification of the voter list, SIR. Congress opposes reforms in the Waqf Board.

Friends,

Congress even opposed the CAA law that gave security to refugees. By lying and spreading rumors, it created a storm in the country. Congress obstructs the country’s efforts to end Maoist–Naxalite violence. Congress has had only one pattern: whenever a reform comes, lie, spread confusion. History is witness, Congress has always chosen this negative path.

Friends,

Whatever decision is necessary for the country, Congress sweeps it under the carpet. Because of this attitude of Congress, India has not reached the heights of development it deserves. At the time of independence, many other countries were freed along with us. Most of those countries went far ahead of us, and the reason was that Congress kept blocking every reform. Delay, diversion, obstruction—this was Congress’s principle, this was Congress’s work culture. Congress delayed border disputes with neighboring countries. Congress delayed water-sharing disputes with Pakistan. Congress delayed the decision on OBC reservation for 40 years. Congress delayed One Rank One Pension for soldiers for 40 years.

Friends,

This attitude of Congress has always caused great harm to the country. The nation has suffered from every opposition, every indecision, every deceit of Congress. Generations of the country have suffered. Today, all the major challenges before the country have arisen from this attitude of Congress. Therefore, this fight is not just about one law, this fight is against Congress’s anti-reform mentality, which is filled only with negativity. And I have no doubt that the women and daughters of the country will give a strong reply to this mentality of Congress.

Friends,

Some people are calling the breaking of the dreams of the women of the country a failure of the government. But this subject was never about success or failure, never about credit. I had said in Parliament too: let half the population get their rights, I will give the credit to the opposition by publishing advertisements with all their photos. But those who look at women with outdated thinking still stuck to their lies, remained firm!

Friends,

The fight to give women power participation has been going on for decades. For years, I too have been among those making efforts for it. So many women have raised this subject before me. So many sisters have written letters to me explaining everything. My country’s mothers, sisters, daughters—I know you are all sad today. I too share in your sorrow. Today, even though we did not get the required 66 percent votes to pass the bill, I know that 100 percent of the women power of the country has blessed us. I assure every woman of the country: we will remove every obstacle in the path of women’s reservation. Our courage is high, our determination unbreakable, and our resolve unwavering. The parties opposing women’s reservation will never be able to stop the women power of this country from increasing their participation in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. It is only a matter of time. The BJP–NDA’s resolve for the empowerment of women power is intact. Yesterday we did not have the numbers, but that does not mean we lost. Our inner strength is invincible. Our effort will not stop, our effort will not pause. We will have more opportunities ahead. For the dreams of half the population, for the future of the country, we must fulfill this resolve. Thank you all very much.