Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that there has been a decline in cases of violence in the Northeast and AFSPA has been removed from many districts.

“Over the past decade, several historic peace agreements have been signed in the North East. The border disputes between the states have also progressed quite amicably,” PM Modi said while addressing Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav here.

In line with his commitment to showcase the cultural vibrancy of Northeast India, Modi inaugurated the first-ever three-day Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam.

The cultural festival, which commenced on Friday will conclude on Sunday and it will highlight the vast cultural tapestry of Northeast India, bringing together an array of traditional arts, crafts, and cultural practices.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, “Northeast is the ‘Ashtalakshmi’ of India.”

He said Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav is a celebration of the brighter future of the Northeast adding that it is a festival of a new dawn of development, propelling the mission of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ forward.

“Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim… Ashtalakshmi is seen in these eight states of North East,” Modi said.

Modi further asserted that the 21st century belongs to India.

“The 21st century belongs to the East, to Asia, to the East, to India. In such a situation, I firmly believe that the coming times in India also belong to Eastern India, to our Northeast. In the past decades, we have seen the emergence of big cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai…In the coming decades, we are going to see new potential in cities like Agartala, Guwahati, Gangtok, Aizawl, Shillong, Itanagar, Kohima. Events like Ashtalakshmi will play a very important role in this,” he said.

The Prime Minister further accused earlier governments of not giving due attention to the development of the North-East.

“For a long time we have seen how development was measured by the number of votes. The North-East had less votes and less seats, hence the development there was not given due attention by the earlier governments,” the Prime Minister said.

“During Atal ji’s government, a separate ministry was created for the development of the North-East,” Modi said.

“We are connecting the North East with this ‘triveni’ of emotion, economy and ecology,” the Prime Minister said.

“In the North East, we are not just building infrastructure, but are also building a strong foundation for the future,” the Prime Minister said.

He said Natural resources are plentiful in northeast India. “There is an amazing confluence of minerals, oil, and biodiversity in the northeast. It has huge potential for renewable energy. This Dhanlaxmi is a blessing for the northeast,” Modi said.

“Our northeast is famous for natural farming and millet. We are proud that Sikkim is the first state which is an organic state,” he said.

To promote economic opportunities in areas such as traditional handicrafts, handlooms, agricultural products, and tourism, the Mahotsav will feature a variety of events.

The festival will have artisan exhibitions, Grameen haats, state specific pavilions and technical sessions on key areas crucial to the development of the northeastern region.

Key events will include Investors Roundtable and buyer-seller meets designed to be a unique opportunity to build and strengthen networks, partnerships, and joint initiatives boosting economic growth of the region.

The Mahotsav will have Design conclave and Fashion shows displaying the rich handloom and handicraft traditions of Northeast India at the national stage. Highlighting the region’s rich cultural heritage, the festival will also showcase vibrant musical performances and indigenous cuisines of Northeast India.