New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said that the Rising Northeast summit has attracted an investment of Rs 4.3 lakh crore, and this is the preface of the voyage in terms of strengthening the North Eastern Region (NER), making it a true engine of India’s progress.

Addressing the Rising Northeast Investors Summit, he shared that a delegation from 80 countries participated in the summit and that “the acronym NER stands altered. It stands for New Economic Revolution of India, New Economic Revival of India”.

The Minister shared that the investment drawn through the summit does not include that of the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’.

Pointing out that the area had been neglected for 60 years since Independence, he said that 25 years ago, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee claimed that India’s rise in the new millennium would emanate from no other region but the Northeast.

Expressing gratitude, Scindia said, “In a global conference in Shillong in 2000, this seed was planted by former PM Vajpayee, which under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has grown into a large banyan tree and ‘Rising Northeast’ is one of the fruits of that great banyan tree.”

“From the 11 largest economies, we have become the fourth largest economy,” he said.

He exuded confidence that India will rise like a nakshatra (constellation) on the global stage under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jyotiraditya Scindia said PM Modi is emotionally connected to this region of the country and has pledged North India to be the engine of economic growth.

In the context of the region, drawing a comparison between 60 years of “neglect” since Independence and 11 years of the Modi government, he said that since 2014, Union Ministers have visited the area 730 times.

Highlighting the significance of the region, he said, “The Northeastern part of our country has been the labyrinth of diversity, resources and a wonderful weave of tapestry. Not today, but for many years, it’s this part of Akhand Bharat that has been historically the purveyor of trade, culture, music, tradition, religion between the northern and southern hemispheres.”

It has the capability not only to provide shade, growth and shelter to her four and a half crore people in these eight states but also the power to be India’s engine of growth for the next 25 years, the minister added.

PM Modi had inaugurated the summit on Friday.

–IANS

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