Only after 2014, Central govt prioritised development of northeast: Jitendra Singh

Itanagar: Asserting that the Centre was committed to bringing about development in the northeast, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the region, which was earlier in the news only for violence and insurgency, witnessed a massive transformation after the BJP-led NDA government came to power in 2014. The Union minister of state (Independent charge) for earth sciences, who was in Itanagar to attend a conference of administrative officials from Bihar, Odisha and northeastern states, also said that good governance was not an option but a “basic right” of all citizens. “It was only after 2014, the central government prioritised development of northeast, a region that suffered neglect for decades, and subsequently initiatives were taken up for the growth and progress of the region at par with other states of the country,” he stated. Noting that Arunachal Pradesh, the peripheral state of northeast, sees the earliest sunrise, Singh said, the place, however, saw the dawn of development only after 2014. “We will have to follow the minimum government and maximum governance formula Stress should be laid on a citizen-centric approach by involving people in the process to ensure transparency,” the minister said. The minister advocated for the adoption of a humane approach for resolving grievances of people. “Good governance is not an option but a basic right of all citizens. The government is duty-bound to provide it. The Modi government is committed to providing justice for all. We have already witnessed tremendous growth in connectivity in northeast. Work to connect all state capitals in the region via rail will soon be completed. Be it for development of new waterways or sea routes, work is underway at a rapid pace,” he maintained. The minister said that the two-day conference — Bringing citizens and government closer through administrative reforms’ — is a step in the direction of reaping the benefits of good governance. The administration must reach out to the last man in the queue. People-friendly reforms taken in the last eight years have benefitted the entire country including the people of the northeast states, he said, complimenting the Arunachal Pradesh government for its efficient COVID-19 management. He added that the two-day meeting, organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), in collaboration with Arunachal Pradesh government, will give officials an opportunity to get acquainted with the best governance practices. A memorandum of understanding was also inked on the occasion among the National Centre for Good Governance, DARPG and the Arunachal Pradesh government for conducting mid-career programs for officers of administrative services over the next five years. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.