North East Council golden jubilee, Projects worth ₹6.8K cr: PM's 2-state visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Meghalaya and Tripura is in focus on Sunday with the North East Council marking its Golden Jubilee. Several big ticket projects are also among the highlights of the two-state visit, which comes days after the year’s last election season was over following the formation of new governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Both Tripura and Meghalaya are set to vote early next year. While the National People's Party (NPP)-BJP government coalition is in power in Meghalaya, the BJP is ruling in Tripura too. In a tweet this morning, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu wrote: "50 years of North East Council! Welcome to our Hon PM Shri @narendramodi ji on 'The Abode of Clouds' Meghalaya. We look forward to your gracious presence at the golden jubilee celebrations of @NEC_GoI. NER shall continue to prosper under your guidance. (sic)."

Here are ten points on PM Modi’s visit to Meghalaya and Tripura:

1) PM Modi on Saturday tweeted about his visit to the states as he said that he “will take part in various programmes aimed at furthering the growth trajectory of these states and the entire Northeast region.”

2) The North Eastern Council - the nodal agency for the social development of the North Eastern Region - consists of eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Its constitution in 1971 "marked the beginning of a new chapter of concerted and planned endeavour", says its official website, adding that it has been instrumental in "setting in motion a new economic endeavour" over the last 50 years.

3) Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Shillong on Saturday before PM Modi’s visit.

4) The Prime Minister will attend a key meeting of the North East Council on Sunday morning.

5) In total, the Prime Minister will inaugurate or dedicate to nation projects worth ₹6,800 crore.

6) Of these projects worth ₹2,450 crore are meant for Meghalaya.

7) PM Modi "will inaugurate the new campus of IIM Shillong at Umsawli," a government statement read, adding that "he will inaugurate Shillong – Diengpasoh Road, which will provide better connectivity to new Shillong satellite township and decongest the city. He will also inaugurate four other road projects across three states viz. Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh."

8) Six road projects - linked to states of Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura - are also among the highlights.

9) Among the projects worth ₹4,350 crore, Tripura will also see the launch of the government’s ambitious Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural. “These houses, developed at a cost of over ₹3400 crores, will cover over 2 lakh beneficiaries,” his office said in a statement.

10) His visit to northeast comes at a time when the opposition has been targeting the government over the latest clash between the Indian and Chinese troops along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang.