Northeast a significant partner in India's development: Jagdeep Dhankhar

Aizawl: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said the Northeast region has been a significant partner in the country's development.

Dhankhar said that India is on the path of unprecedented progress and is currently the fifth-largest global economy.

"The country now has world-class infrastructure of roads and connectivity. In all these developments Northeast, including Mizoram, has been a significant partner", Dhankhar said while addressing the Mizoram Assembly.

Dhankhar said the Northeast region has seen unprecedented exponential growth in the last decade and the government's Act East policy has been a game changer..

He said the last decade has been the golden era of the Northeast and the North East Council (NEC) has played a crucial role with the achievement of over 12,000 km of roads, 700 MW power plants and many national institutions coming up.

"The remarkable focus on the NE with separate departments at the Centre has resulted in great outcomes. The exponential rise in physical and digital connectivity and roads has been a game changer," he said.

Dhankhar said the entire world applauded India's presidency of G20 that gave the country a high global image and a cutting edge to its diplomatic power.

He said the G20 meetings were held in all states and Union Territories and Mizoram has also gained significant footing in tourism from the G20 meetings.

He said that Mizoram has enormous potential in tourism, horticulture, local arts and products and these potentials need to be fully exploited.

"This august assembly needs to roll out a roadmap of growth and development that is futuristic and contributes to the success of the glorious marathon for Viksit Bharat 2047," the vice president said.

He said that the Aizawl bypass road and bamboo link roads are being developed at a total cost of over Rs 600 crore under PM-DevINE scheme.

With the development of the Aizawl convention centre and two bamboo link roads there will be an upsurge in tourism in the state, he said.

Dhankhar also lauded the legislators for maintaining discipline and decorum in the House, which according to him, is emulated by others.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma thanked the vice president and said that when Mizoram attained the status of Union Territory in 1972, India had already surged ahead with its fifth five-year plan placing the northeastern state 25 years behind in terms of development.

Moreover, for two decades until 1986, the state experienced trouble, he said.

"Despite facing numerous obstacles, we take immense pride in our efforts to catch up and align ourselves with the nation's trajectory and the remarkable achievement to characterise our state and its people," Lalduhoma said.

"Foremost among these accomplishments is the transformation of a once strife-ridden state into the most peaceful state in the country," he added.

The vice president on Monday also graced the convocation ceremony of Mizoram University (MZU). A total of 7,980 students were awarded degrees during the occasion.