Northeast has suffered due to insurgency, Centre is committed to developing the region: Rajnath Singh

The Centre is committed to fast tracking the development initiatives in the Northeastern region, Rajnath Singh said on Monday.

Pic courtesy: @DDNewsLive

Aizawl: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that the Centre was committed to fast tracking the development initiatives in the Northeastern region, especially in border areas.

At the same time, he maintained that the Northeast region had suffered developmental deficit due to prolonged insurgencies.

Addressing a meeting of the chief ministers of the four Northeastern states which share border with Myanmar, Singh said the regio was immensely rich in human and natural resources and its ethnic and linguistic diversities enrich India's cultural heritage.

"Our government is committed to fast tracking of development in the Northeastern region. Work on road and rail network extension is going on. We want to extend these networks to border areas," he said in his opening remarks.

The meeting was convened to discuss the issues of Indo- Myanmar border and attended by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju besides Pema Khandu, N Biren Singh and Lal Thanhawla, the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram, respectively and Nagaland Home Minister Yanthungo Patton.

"India-Myanmar border is unique in many ways. It has a visa-free movement regime for the people living within 16 km on either side," Singh pointed out, as per PTI.

Praising the Assam Rifles, which guards the 1,643-km-long Indo-Myanmar border, the HM said the Assam Rifles is performing its duty with courage and determination.

The North East region has suffered developmental deficit due to prolonged insurgencies: HM — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

I am happy to note that the situation has significantly improved all over, especially in the last three years: HM — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

Our government is committed to fast tracking of development in the North East region:HM at Aizawl — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

FMR is being misused by militants and trans-border criminals who smuggle weapons, contraband goods & Fake Indian Currency Notes: HM — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

Taking advantage of the free-movement regime, occasionally they enter India, commit crimes and escape to their relatively safer hide-outs:HM — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

I constitute a committee headed by SS-IS to examine the present rules &regulations adopted by the border states for implementation of FMR-HM — HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 12, 2017

Under the Border Area Development programme, the four states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram - bordering Myanmar received Rs 567.39 crores during the last three years, Singh said.

The HM also met Governor of Mizoram Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma at Raj Bhavan here.

The international border with Mynamar is considered to be porous with cross-border movement of insurgents and smuggling of arms and ammunition common there.

This is for the first time that such a meeting has been called to discuss issues concerning Mynamar border with active participation of the state governments.

The chief secretaries, directors general of police (DGPs) of the states, director general of the Assam Rifles and senior officials from the central ministries concerned were also present at the meeting.

(With PTI inputs)