Northeast ignored for years; now becoming growth engine, says PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said for years the northeastern region was ignored but things changed under his government, and it has now become a growth engine.

Replying to a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the president's Address in Lok Sabha, Modi also said many problems in the northeast were resolved only for meeting political reasons and remained confined to papers.

"Let us talk about the Bodo accord. Despite many efforts, the issue was unsolved for years. The Bodo accord signed now is special because it has brought all stakeholders together and we are moving towards a more peaceful era," he said.

The Bodo accord was signed on January 27 by the government with four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), All Bodo Students' Union and a civil society group for bringing a lasting peace in Bodo-dominated areas in Assam.

The prime minister said for years, distance became a reason to ignore the northeast and things have changed now.

"The northeast is becoming a growth engine. Great work has been done in so many sectors. Ministers and officials are regularly visiting the region," he said.