Guwahati: Talking to reporters Assam chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that in the past 9 years the whole of Northeast has witnessed massive development due to Modi government’s various people oriented policies.

“The earlier governments in Delhi never paid any attention to Northeast since electorally this region was not viable for them. But Modi government has changed this mindset and ushered in an era of development for the entire region,” Sarma said.

Prior to 2014, large capital investments were not made in the region but Modi realised that its development will not be possible without connectivity. Massive expenditures have since taken place to ensure connectivity – in the field of infrastructural development for proper transportation and communication networks, digital penetration in remote and far-flung areas, banking sectors and other areas to ensure economic buoyancy in the region, he said.

The Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DeviNe), announced as part of the union budget 2022-23, aims at rapid and holistic development of the region by funding projects of significant impact, Sarma said.

“It is not only about development projects and investments in the region. Modi has given an identity to the North East and its people which was beyond our expectations,” the chief minister said.

The discrimination that the people of the North East faced earlier has gone down considerably due to the prime minister’s outreach efforts to ensure that those from the region live in peace in other parts of the country, Sarma said.

“The students, youth and people of the region living in other parts of the country now know all local politicians of the states where they reside. It is the politicians who reach out to them as Modi has made it clear that they stay in peace and not face any trouble in whichever state they live,” he added.