Prime minister Narendra Modi who on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various developmental projects in Imphal, Manipur, termed North East as the gateway to dream fulfillment of the new India.

“The North East, which Netaji (Shubhas Chandra Bose) called the gateway to India’s independence, is becoming the gateway to fulfilling the dreams of a new India,” Prime Minister Modi said. “We are working to realise the possibilities in the North East,” he added.

The Prime Minister pitched for a double engine government led by BJP in Manipur. He called for maintaining stability in the state which has seen protracted blockade and instability.

“Today the youth of the country are taking inspiration from the players of Manipur…
From a ‘blockade state’ , Manipur has become a state promoting international trade…We also have to maintain stability in Manipur and take Manipur to new heights of development. Only the double engine government can do this work,” Modi said in his address.

Prime Minister Modi earlier inaugurated 13 Projects worth around Rs 1850 crores and laid the foundation stone of 9 projects worth around Rs 2950 crore in Imphal. These 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.

Modi laid the foundation stone for the construction of five National Highway Projects to be built at a cost of more than Rs 1700 crore. He inaugurated the Steel Bridge built over the Barak River on NH-37, at a cost of over Rs 75 crore, which would decongest traffic between Silchar and Imphal. He also dedicated to the people of Manipur 2387 mobile towers built at a cost of around Rs 1100 crores.

Prime Minister Modi further inaugurated ₹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 ten 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 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 the ‘200 Bedded Covid Hospital at Kiyamgei’ further set up at a cost of about Rs 37 crore in collaboration with DRDO. 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)’.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of ‘Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT)’ to be built in the state at a cost of about Rs 200 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Manipur Institute of Performing Arts at Gurgaon, Haryana, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 240 crore.

The Prime Minister said January 21 would be the 50th anniversary of Manipur’s statehood. This fact, along with the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav on 75 years of its independence is a major inspiration in itself, he said.

Paying homage to the bravery of the people of Manipur, the Prime Minister 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 North East, which Netaji called the gateway to India’s independence, is becoming the gateway to fulfilling the dreams of a new India. He reiterated his belief that the eastern and north eastern parts of India will be the source of India’s progress and this is visible in the growth of the region today.

Congratulating the people of Manipur for the schemes for which the foundation stone has been laid and were inaugurated today, Modi thanked the people of Manipur for the formation of a stable government that is governing with full majority and with full impact. He stressed that due to this stability and choice of the people of Manipur achievements like 6 lakh farmer families getting hundreds of crore rupees under Kisan Samman Nidhi; 6 lakh poor families getting benefits under PM Garib Kalyan Scheme; 80 thousand houses under PMAY; free medical treatment to 4.25 lakh patients under Ayushman Yojna; 1.5 lakh free gas connections; 1.3 lakh free electricity connections; 30 thousands toilets; more than 30 lakh free vaccine doses and oxygen plants in every district of the state could become reality.

Modi recalled that even before he became the Prime Minister, he visited Manipur many times. He said he understands their pain, “that’s why after 2014, I have brought Delhi – Government of India to your doorstep.” Every officer and Minister was asked to visit the region and serve the people as per their local needs. “You can see that there are five important faces from the region in key portfolios in the Council of Ministers ”, the Prime Minister pointed out.

“Today Manipur is becoming a symbol of a new work culture of change. These changes are for Manipur’s Culture and for their care. Connectivity is also a priority in this change and creativity is equally important,” he said.

Referring to road and infrastructure projects he said these would along with better mobile networks will strengthen connectivity. “CIIT will contribute to the creativity and innovation spirit of the local youth. Modern Cancer hospital will add to the dimension of care and the Manipur institute of Performing Art and renovation of Govind Ji Mandir will preserve the cultural heritage,” he said.

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.

Prime Minister 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.

“Due to the continuous efforts of the double engine government, there is no fire of extremism and insecurity in this region, but there is light of peace and development. Hundreds of youths across the North East have left arms and joined the mainstream of development,”the Prime Minister said. He said 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.

The Prime Minister said this decade of the 21st century is very important for Manipur. He lamented the loss of time in the past. He added that there is not a single moment now. “We also have to maintain stability in Manipur and also take Manipur to new heights of development. And only the double engine government can do this work”, he further stressed.