Farmers priority for govt, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented on Friday his government’s three-year report card, listing several achievements on the social and economic fronts, including transformation of the country’s agriculture sector, which he said will double farmers’ income by 2022.
Modi inaugurated the country’s longest bridge over the Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, at the eastern end of Assam, besides laying the foundation stone of an agriculture research institute and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
“Northeast was known as NE, but from now on it will be known as new economy, new energy, new empowerment... in a way, it will become a new engine for India’s growth,” Modi said in Gogamukh, more than 500km from Guwahati.
Modi’s choice of Assam to mark three years of the NDA government is being seen as the BJP’s push to control the region where it is in power in four states. The party is hoping to oust the Congress in Meghalaya and the Left Front in Tripura, when the two states go to polls this year.
He announced naming the Dhola-Sadiya bridge -- spanning 9.15 km -- after balladeer Bhupen Hazarika, known as the Bard of Brahmaputra, and loved across the region for his songs promoting unity among communities.
The bridge reduces travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh by nearly 5 hours, which will speed up movement of troops and battle tanks closer to the border with China.