Modi to think tanks: make North East the next economic hub

In his latest bid to woo voters, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has asked his think tanks to draw up a comprehensive plan to make the North East one of the economic hubs of the country.

Modi, who has accused the UPA government of neglecting the North East, made a couple of trips to the region  part of his election campaign, is exploring setting up an expert  group to advise him on how to revamp the Ministry of DONER  (Development of North East Region) if NDA comes to power.

Sources said the Gujarat Chief Minister has asked his think tanks to draw up a comprehensive plan to tap the potential of the huge water resources in the region.

“North East water management is the need of the hour which will not only solve the perennial flood problem but will also solve the power crisis of the country,” Modi had said at his one of the rallies in the region on Saturday.

At a recent meeting of the Chief Ministers of the North East states, Modi had proposed sending 16,000 women police personnel to Gujarat so that they could create awareness about people on the region’s rich culture and heritage, which in turn, would boost the tourism industry there.

Modi had also asked party units in the North Eastern states to focus on the aspirations of more than 400 insular ethnic groups in the region, which has 25 Lok Sabha seats of which UPA holds 21.

The DONER ministry, which was set up by the Vajpayee government, is responsible for matters relating to the planning, execution and monitoring of development schemes and projects in the North Eastern region.

PTI