Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai! The Governor, Shri Ajay Bhalla ji, other officials of the state administration, and my brothers and sisters from Manipur present at this event, a warm Namaskar to all of you!

This land of Manipur is a land of courage and determination. These hills are a precious gift of nature, and at the same time, these hills are also a symbol of the continuous hard work of all of you. I salute the spirit of the people of Manipur. I express my gratitude for your love that you have come here in such large numbers even in this heavy rain. My helicopter couldn't arrive due to the heavy rain, so I decided to travel by road. And the scenes I saw on the road today, my heart says that God did well that my helicopter didn't fly today. I came by road, and I saw the love and affection shown by everyone, from young to old, holding the Tricolour on the way. I can never forget this moment in my life. I bow my head to the people of Manipur.

Friends,

The culture and traditions of this region, its diversity and vibrancy, represent a significant strength of Bharat. Even the name ‘Manipur’ contains the word ‘mani’ (jewel). This is a jewel that will add to the brilliance of the entire North-East in the times to come. The Government of Bharat has always strived to advance Manipur swiftly on the path to development. In this very spirit, I have come here among all of you today. Just a short while ago, projects worth nearly seven thousand crore rupees have been inaugurated from this very stage. These projects will further improve the lives of the people of Manipur and the tribal communities residing in the hills. These projects will establish new health and education facilities for you all. I extend my sincere congratulations to all the people of Manipur, and to everyone in Churachandpur, for these projects.

Friends,

Manipur is a state situated along the border. Connectivity here has always been a major challenge. I fully understand the difficulties you have faced due to the lack of good roads. That is why, I have placed strong emphasis on consistently working to improve Manipur’s connectivity since 2014. The Government of Bharat has undertaken efforts at two levels to achieve this. First, we have increased the budget for railways and roads in Manipur several times over, and second, we have focused on extending roads not only to the cities but also to the villages.

Friends,

In recent years, 3,700 crore rupees have been spent on National Highways here, and work on new highways is progressing rapidly with an investment of 8,700 crore rupees. You are well aware of how difficult it once was to reach villages here. Now, hundreds of villages in this region have been provided with road connectivity. This has greatly benefited the people living in the hills and the tribal villages.

Friends,

Rail connectivity in Manipur has been expanding during our government’s tenure. The Jiribam–Imphal railway line will soon connect the capital city, Imphal, to the national rail network. The government is investing 22,000 crore rupees in this project. The newly constructed Imphal Airport, built at a cost of 400 crore rupees, is taking air connectivity to new heights. Helicopter services have also been started to other parts of the country from this airport. This growing connectivity is enhancing conveniences for all the people of Manipur and creating new employment opportunities for the youth here.

Friends,

Bharat is developing at a rapid pace today. Very soon, we are set to become the world’s third largest economy. My constant endeavour is to ensure that the benefits of development reach every corner of the country. There was a time when announcements made in Delhi would take decades to be implemented here. Today, our Churachandpur, our Manipur, are progressing along with the rest of the nation. For example, we launched a scheme to build permanent houses for the poor across the country. Thousands of families in Manipur have benefited from this initiative and nearly sixty thousand houses have been constructed here. Similarly, this region earlier faced numerous challenges with electricity supply. Our government has also pledged to free you from these difficulties, and as a result, more than one lakh families in Manipur have received free electricity connections.

Friends,

Our mothers and sisters used to face many difficulties in obtaining water. Therefore, we launched the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ (Tap Water to Every Household) scheme to address this issue. In recent years, more than 15 crore citizens across the country have gained access to tap water. In Manipur, only 25,000 to 30,000 households had piped water connections just 7-8 years ago. Today, more than 350,000 households here have access to tap water. I am confident that every family in Manipur will receive piped water in their homes very soon.

Friends,

In earlier times, good schools, colleges, and hospitals in the hill and tribal areas were mere dreams. If someone fell ill, it would often be too late by the time the patient reached a hospital. Today, the situation is changing due to the efforts of the Government of Bharat. The medical college in Churachandpur is now ready, producing new doctors and improving healthcare facilities. Just imagine, for many decades after independence, there was no medical college in the hill areas of Manipur; this achievement has been made by our government. Under the Prime Minister’s Divine Scheme, our government is developing modern health services in five hill districts. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the government provides free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees for the poor. Nearly two and a half lakh patients in Manipur have received free treatment under this scheme. Without this facility, my poor brothers and sisters here would have had to spend more than 350 crore rupees from their own pockets for medical treatment. But the entire expense has been borne by the Government of Bharat because addressing the concerns of every poor person is our priority.

Friends,

The land and region of Manipur is a land of hope and promise. Unfortunately, violence had gripped this magnificent area. A little while ago, I met the affected people who are living in camps. After speaking with them, I can say that a new dawn of hope and confidence is awaiting Manipur.

Friends,

Establishing peace is essential for development anywhere. In the past eleven years, many long-standing disputes and conflicts in the North East have been resolved. People have chosen the path of peace and given priority to development. I am pleased that recently dialogues have begun with different groups in the hills and valleys for reaching agreements. These efforts are part of the Government of Bharat’s commitment to establishing peace through dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding. I urge all organizations to move forward on the path of peace, fulfil their dreams, and secure the future of their children. Today, I assure you that I am with you, the Government of Bharat is with you, and with the people of Manipur.

Friends,

The Government of Bharat is making every possible effort to restore normalcy in Manipur. Our government is providing assistance to construct seven thousand new homes for families that have been displaced. Recently, a special package of nearly three thousand crore rupees has also been approved. Additionally, a special provision of 500 crore rupees has been made for helping the displaced persons.

Friends,

I am well aware of the dreams and struggles of the tribal youth of Manipur. To address your concerns, various solutions are being worked upon. The government is committed to strengthening the local governance bodies and ensuring the proper allocation of funds for their development.

Friends,

The development of every tribal community today is a priority for the country. For the first time, the 'Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan' is underway to promote development in tribal areas. Under this initiative, development works are being carried out in over 500 villages of Manipur. The number of Eklavya Model Residential Schools is also being increased in tribal areas. In Manipur too, 18 such Eklavya Model Residential Schools are being constructed. The modernization of schools and colleges is set to significantly enhance educational facilities in the hill districts here. 

Friends,

The culture of Manipur has always promoted ‘Nari Shakti’ (women’s empowerment). Our government is also actively engaged in empowering women. The government is also constructing working women’s hostels to support the daughters of Manipur.

Friends,

We are moving forward with the goal of making Manipur a symbol of peace, prosperity, and progress. I assure you that the Government of Bharat, along with the Government of Manipur, will continue to cooperate in Manipur’s development, in resettling the displaced people at appropriate locations as soon as possible, and in establishing peace. Once again, I congratulate all of you on the development projects, and I express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Manipur for the love and respect you have shown. Let us all say together:

Bharat Mata Ki Jai,

Bharat Mata Ki Jai,

Bharat Mata Ki Jai,

Thank you very much.

 

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MJPS/VJ/VK

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