Churachandpur, September 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appealed to all the organizations of Manipur to adopt the path of peace for the safe future of children and the progress of the state. The path of peace is paramount for development. The Prime Minister said that the goal of the Central Government is to make Manipur a symbol of peace, prosperity and progress.
The Prime Minister said in a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of various development projects worth more than Rs 7,300 crore in Churachandpur, Manipur, “I appeal to all the organizations to fulfill their dreams by following the path of peace. The Government of India is with the people of Manipur and stands with them at every step.”
Prime Minister said that he is satisfied that recently talks have been held in the direction of agreements with different groups of Hills and Valley. These efforts are part of the Indian government’s policy to establish lasting peace by giving importance to dialogue, respect and mutual understanding.
The projects for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone include Manipur’s Urban Roads, Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project worth Rs 3,600 crore, five national highway projects worth Rs 2,500 crore, Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) Project and hostels for working women at nine locations. He said that these projects will help in improving the lives of the hills and tribal society.
Modi said that the land of Manipur is a land of courage and bravery. He thanked the people for reaching the program in large numbers despite heavy rains. He said that when his helicopter could not fly due to the weather, he reached Churachandpur by road and people welcomed him by waving the tricolor all along the way. He said, “I will never forget the warmth and love I received. I bow my head with respect to the people of Manipur.”
The Prime Minister said that connectivity has always been a big challenge in Manipur given its geographical location. Since 2014, the Central Government has paid special attention to improving road and rail connectivity in the State. Rs 3,700 crore has been spent on national highways in recent years, while work is underway on new projects at a cost of Rs 8,700 crore. The Jiribam-Imphal railway line will soon connect Imphal to the national rail network, giving a boost to economic activities in the State.
Modi said that earlier it was very difficult to reach the villages of Manipur, but now road connectivity has reached hundreds of villages. The Government of India started a scheme to build concrete houses for the poor, which has also benefited thousands of families in Manipur. So far, about 60 thousand houses have been built here.
He said that in the past years, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, tap water has been provided to crores of houses across the country. In Manipur too, 7-8 years ago, only 25-30 thousand houses had water through pipeline, whereas now this number has increased to more than three and a half lakhs.
Modi said that for decades after independence, there was not a single medical college in the hilly areas of Manipur, but now a medical college has been established in Churachandpur.
He said that under the PM-Divya Yojana, modern health services are being developed in five hill districts. Free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh is being provided to the poor through the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. In Manipur alone, more than two and a half lakh patients have availed the benefits of this scheme.
Modi said that today India is the fastest growing economy in the world and is soon going to become the third largest economy. Manipur is also getting direct benefits of the development work being done across the country. Earlier, the decisions taken in Delhi used to take decades to reach Manipur, but now the state is also progressing in step with the country.
In his address, the Prime Minister made special mention of the natural beauty of Manipur and the hard work of the people here by stating that Manipur has “Mani” in its name itself, and this “Mani” is going to further enhance the shine of the North-East.
He assured that the Government of India is constantly working to take the state to new heights of development.
Prime Minister said that good schools and hospitals are now becoming a reality in the hilly and tribal areas of Manipur. This change is not just a part of plans, but is a guarantee of improvement in the lifestyle of the people of Manipur.
In his entire speech, while on the one hand the Prime Minister mentioned the development work, on the other hand he also emphasized the importance of peace and mutual understanding, he stressed on the real strength of Manipur is its unity and spirit. The Government of India will make every effort to take this strength forward in the direction of development and prosperity.