Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated 13 Projects worth over Rs 1,850 crore and
laid the foundation stone of nine projects worth around Rs 2,950 crore in
Manipur.

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He also said
that Northeastern states will become a major force in India’s growth story in
the upcoming years with Manipur as the main source of the country’s growth
trajectory.

While addressing
a rally in Imphal, PM Modi said as Manipur will be completing 50 years of
statehood on January 21, the state “will become the main source of India’s
growth trajectory and will stretch its potential to other parts of India via
enhanced road connectivity and infrastructure projects.”

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Terming
Northeast as the “new gate of development” for India, the Prime
Minister said, “The Northeast, where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s army
hoisted the flag for the first time calling it the gateway to India’s
independence, is now becoming the gateway to fulfil the dreams of New
India.”

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PM Modi,
meanwhile, launched several developmental projects spanning across sectors such
as road infrastructure, drinking water supply, health, urban development, IT
and more.

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Previous governments ignored Northeast: PM Modi

He also alleged
that Northeast and Manipur were ignored by previous governments. “Those
who ran previous governments in Delhi neglected Manipur resulting in alienation
of people. There was a time when Manipur was left to be on its own. I came to
Manipur multiple times before I became the PM. I knew the pain in your hearts.
So, after 2014, I brought the entire Govt of India to your doorstep,” said
Modi.

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He also laid the
foundation stone of construction of five National Highway Projects to be built
at a cost of more than Rs 1,700 crore, with a cumulative length of more than
110 km.

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Meanwhile, the
opposition CPI-M in Tripura staged a protest, demanding that the Maharaja Bir
Bikram Airport in Agartala should be declared an international airport and the
Adani group should not manage the operation of the airport.