Deputy Chairman Harivansh Lauds Centre’s North East Growth Vision

• Harivansh addresses 22nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Nagaland.
• Says North East’s budget surged from ₹24,500 crore in 2014 to ₹1.8 lakh crore in FY2025.
• Over 6,000 km of new highways and 45,000 km of rural roads added under PMGSY.
• Every North Eastern village to be connected by 4G by year-end, he assures.

GG News Bureau
Kohima, 10th Nov: Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, on Monday highlighted the Union Government’s robust infrastructure and connectivity drive in the North East, calling it a vital step towards realizing the region’s development aspirations.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 22nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Nagaland, he said the last decade has witnessed a transformative shift in the Centre’s approach to the North East. “The commitment to spend 10% of the Union budget in this region looked ambitious at first, but year after year, this focus has shown us what can be achieved,” Harivansh said.

He noted that the North East’s budget allocation rose from about ₹24,500 crore in 2014 to ₹1.8 lakh crore this financial year. The region’s highway network expanded from 10,900 km to nearly 17,000 km, while over 45,000 km of rural roads have been completed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

“By this year’s end, every village in the North East will be connected by a 4G network,” he added, underscoring the government’s digital inclusion efforts.

The Deputy Chairman said the Prime Minister’s nearly 70 visits to the region and frequent ministerial engagements show that the North East remains central to India’s development priorities.

Addressing the balance between progress and ecology, Harivansh highlighted that though the North East covers only 8% of India’s land area, it accounts for 21% of the country’s forest cover, posing both opportunity and responsibility.

The CPA Conference, themed “Policy, Progress & People: Legislatures as Catalysts of Change,” will deliberate on topics such as the role of legislatures in achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 and addressing climate change challenges in the North East.

Recalling the contribution of Jayaprakash Narayan for peace in Nagaland during the 1960s, Harivansh said his ideals continue to inspire inclusive development.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Nagaland Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, and Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly,Sharingain Longkumer, were present at the inaugural session.