Modi govt changed Northeast from "disturbed region" to area contributing to nation's progress: Shah in Arunachal

Kibithoo (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], April 10 (ANI): Highlighting the paradigm shift in the government's approach towards the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Narendra Modi government has changed the image of the region in the last nine years from "disturbed region" to an area contributing to the nation's progress.
The Home Minister said that the disputes and extremism in the region are at a diminishing stage and there is peace and development in the region.
"Before 2014, the entire Northeast region was known as a disturbed region but in the last 9 years, because of PM Modi's 'Look East' policy, the Northeast is now considered an area which contributes to the progress of the country," Shah said while launching 'Vibrant Villages Programme' in Arunachal's Kibithoo.
"Due to the laziness of the leaders in Delhi at some point, this area was disputed. There was no peace, development and connectivity. Today, the disputes are coming to an end, extremism is coming to an end. There is a new dawn of development and peace," he added.
The Home Minister laid down the statistics in comparison to 2014 and said that there has been a significant reduction in violent incidents in the northeast today.
"Over 8,000 extremists have surrendered in the nine years. In comparison to 2014, there is a fall of 67 per cent in violent incidents in 2022. There has been a decrease of 60 per cent in the injuries of the security forces and an 83 per cent fall in the deaths of the citizens," Shah said.
"Under the 'Vibrant Village Programme', 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts along the northern border in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been identified for comprehensive development," he added.
Shah said that there will be no village in the border areas of the country without electricity, internet and road facilities. "Along with this, employment facilities will also be made available in every village," he said.
Stating that the security of the border is the security of the nation, Shah said that the Modi government is continuously working on increasing the infrastructure on the border.
Shah is on a two-day visit to the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. (ANI)