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While addressing the Advantage Assam 2.0 in Guwahati, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted on Tuesday how all the Northeastern states of the country have benefitted from the 'Act East, Act Fast and Act First' policy of the union government, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally taken an interest in developing the region.
"In the last decade, Assam and all the Northeastern states have seen the Modi Government act fast and act first when it came to their development," Jaishankar said while addressing the participants of Advantage Assam 2.0. He said that the commitment to development can be seen through various things, including various specific initiatives and how goals are being targeted and delivered upon. "Its evidence is in the nature of resources committed, the targeting of goals through specific initiatives, the quality of delivery, and indeed, the very change in outlook," Jaishankar added. Saying that PM Modi has "personally" taken the task of developing the northeast region. "You all know how much interested Prime Minister Modi has personally taken in the development of the Northeast and how many times he has come to assign. When ministers of the Modi government are continuously encouraged to visit the Northeast, when an occasion like the G20 sees meetings in every one of these states, I would suggest to you that something has changed profoundly," he said. The minister further gave the example of the Purvodaya scheme, which Jaishankar said will bring new energy, infrastructure, employment in various regions. "We are not only correcting past mistakes, but laying the foundation to explore new opportunities, and that is exactly what Prime Minister Modi seeks to do through the Purvodaya scheme that brings new energy and resources to infrastructure, employment, skilling and development in these regions," he said. "It is only when the Northeast and the East realize the potential more fully that we can progress in our quest towards the Viksit Bharat. Let us now look a little beyond starting with our immediate neighbours here," he added. Talking about the progress made in India's 'Neighbourhood First Policy,' he continued, "The Neighbourhood First policy since 2014 has made significant progress. Whether it is Bangladesh, Nepal or Myanmar, we have seen new roads, checkpoints, rail links, water base, power grids, fuel pipelines and transfer facilities and much more to come in the days ahead." These projects and connects, Jaishankar assessed, have opened up "greater levels of contact and comfort." "The result is that new opportunities have indeed opened up and greater levels of contact and comfort have been built. This has truly been a win-win outcome that must be nurtured and must be taken forward. On its path, I want to say very clearly that India is fully prepared to do so," he said. Earlier, EAM Jaishankar, along with various heads of mission, their spouses and diplomats of 60 nations visited the Sarnath archaeological site and Kaziranga National Park. Jaishankar, along with the Head of Mission and Ambassadors, took an Elephant Safari in Kaziranga National Park on Monday ahead of the Advantage Assam summit. (ANI)
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