Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently emphasized the significant contribution of India’s Northeast region towards the country’s development. In a speech to the Mizoram Assembly, he highlighted how the Northeast has seen tremendous growth over the past decade and become a valuable partner in India’s rise on the global stage.
Mr. Dhankhar pointed out that India is now the fifth largest economy in the world due to rapid progress across various sectors. Major infrastructure projects like roads, bridges and power plants have improved connectivity within the country as well as with Southeast Asia under initiatives like the Act East Policy. The Northeast region has actively supported these nationwide developments.
Billions of rupees have been invested through the North East Council (NEC) to build over 12,000 km of roads and 700 MW of power generation capacity in the Northeast. This has boosted economic and social progress by linking remote areas with markets and services. The Vice President stated that separate central government departments are now focused on the Northeast’s needs, leading to very positive outcomes.
Physical and digital connectivity in the region has risen exponentially in the last decade. The road network has been a “game changer” according to Mr. Dhankhar, facilitating trade, tourism and shared development with neighboring countries. India’s successful presidency of the G20 group of nations enhanced its global prestige and diplomatic influence. Meetings were organized across all states, including in Mizoram, to showcase cultural diversity. This should be considered a great initiative.
Tourism received an additional boost from these high-profile international events. Mizoram has great potential to attract more visitors through its natural beauty, local arts, crafts and horticulture. The Vice President urged the state assembly to formulate ambitious long-term plans riding on these strengths. He was glad to announce two new bamboo link road projects worth over 600 crores under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East.
In the conclusion, Mr. Dhankhar highlighted how the Northeast had transformed from a strife-torn region into India’s most peaceful. Despite initial disadvantages, it has made a tremendous developmental strides to align with the rest of the nation. With continued support, the Northeast will remain an indispensable ally for realizing India’s vision to become a developed, self-reliant economy by 2047. Its rich cultural heritage and strategic location linking the South and the Southeast Asia make it well-positioned as a driver of progress across the region.
