Addressing a public gathering in Churachandpur, the Prime Minister said, “I appeal every group to choose peace. Centre stands in solidarity with Manipur, so do I.”
He added that the government had initiated talks with conflicting groups as part of efforts to end decades-long unrest.
In the past 11 months, decades-long conflicts have ended in North East. People have chosen peace over conflict in the region, he said.
Development tied to peace: Prime Minister
Modi underlined that the Centre has been striving to take Manipur forward, linking peace directly with progress.
“Peace is paramount for development,” he said, announcing the foundation for projects worth ₹7,300 crore aimed at improving the lives of those in the hilly regions of the state.The Prime Minister said that over 7,000 new homes were being constructed for families displaced by the conflict, and more than three lakh households in Manipur had already become beneficiaries under the Centre’s ‘Nal se Jal’ scheme. “For decades after independence, Manipur’s hilly regions were deprived of hospitals,” he noted, promising continued support to strengthen health and infrastructure in the state.
He also highlighted improvements in connectivity. “Several villages in Manipur now connected to better road infra,” he said.
Imphal will soon be connected to India’s rail network, PM Modi added.
Acknowledging past hardships, Modi said, “Manipur is a border state. Connectivity has been a challenge for the state. Due to a lack of good roadway connectivity, people here have difficulties and I acknowledge them. Since 2014, Centre has worked towards addressing this issue.”
Sharing his travel experience to the event, the Prime Minister said, “Due to heavy rainfall, my helicopter couldn’t take off for Manipur, due to this I had to take roadways to reach here.” He saluted the people for their endurance amid the prolonged conflict, saying, “I salute the resilience of the Manipuri people.”
‘Mani’ is in the name of Manipur; this ‘Mani’ will enhance the shine of the North East, said the Prime Minister.
A jab at Congress
In an apparent dig at past governments, Modi said, “Once upon a time, an announcement made in Delhi took decades to reach Manipur as actual development.”
He contrasted that with the Centre’s current focus, pointing out that budget allocations for railway and road projects in the state have been substantially increased since 2014.
Moreover, he reiterated the central government’s commitment to help the state overcome its divisions and move forward. “Centre will continue to support Manipur govt in efforts to establish peace,” he said.
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