Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre would connect the capitals of all the northeastern States with railway and airway by 2024.
Development in the region needs connectivity to gather pace, he said at a programme in Meghalaya capital Shillong on Saturday.
“It will be difficult to fast-track development here without connectivity. This is the reason why the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has since the formation of the BJP-led government in 2014 laid thrust on connectivity in the northeast,” he said.
“Our effort will be to connect the capitals of all States in the Northeast with railway and airway. Road connectivity has to be also strengthened alongside,” he added.
The Home Minister attended a meeting at the North Eastern Space Applications Centre in Shillong.
“Mapping of forest gap areas, expansion of the land area for horticulture development, identification and rejuvenation of wetlands, diversion of floodwater and assessment of bamboo resources for livelihood needs are a few among many key ideas that were discussed during the meeting,” he said in a tweet.
Mr. Shah also met the Chief Ministers of the region in the evening to discuss various issues, including the inter-State boundary disputes between Assam and its northeastern neighbours.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma agreed to move beyond the status quo and start resolving the disputes, starting with the less complicated stretches. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had earlier decided to resolve their disputes amicably out of court.
