Full text of Prime Minister’s election speech at Tuensang, Nagaland

(Beginning with Local Dialect)

Ishor laga naam te sob maanu ke salam di aase, BJP-NDPP power te aahise koile Development aapuni laga bosti te ponchai dibo

 

(In God’s name, I salute you all, When BJP-NDPP comes into power then we will deliver development to your village)

 

Unity in Diversity-One India Best India

 

Our country is very large & diverse, despite that we are united. We feel this strength of unity after visiting Nagaland. Different tribes sing the national anthem in unison. One India Best India is strongly visible in front of my eyes. Our alliance wave in this beautiful corner of the country is a signal to the national media.

 

Bringing the vision of sabka saath sabka vikas (i.e. everybody’s cooperation leads to everybody’s development) with honesty & good intentions, focused on planning for development then the masses move forward to bless us. Brothers & sisters, the politics of vote bank has been aptly answered by your mammoth presence.

 

I am deeply indebted to you for the love bestowed upon me by you all. I bow down to this beautiful land of Nagaland.

 

Role of people of Nagaland in Nation building

 

Friends, talented people of Nagaland have given invaluable contribution in the nation building. Whether it is bureaucracy or army, service or textile sector, art or music sector, people of Nagaland has always added pride to the country.

 

I have always appreciated the hard work, the dedication & the courage of the traditional Naga society.

 

When the country is progressing with the oath for making a New India, then the contribution of development of people of Nagaland will play a very important role in the accomplishment of the dream of New India. With your contribution in nation building, the dream of New India can be achieved.

 

Development of Nagaland with Peace & Stability

 

Friends, I want to appreciate the people of Nagaland for gaining the peace & stability with community efforts.

 

The journey of progress and development of Nagaland will be at a fast pace, when we all work together, take everyone together and move forward.

 

In the last few years, the political instability of this region has been observed. In 4 years, the cabinet has been sworn -4 times. This situation is like blocking the development.  It is time to move forward. It is therefore very necessary that there should be a stable government in Nagaland which only works for the development of people of Nagaland.

 

BJP coalition government to end corruption

 

Friends, corruption has always been a big challenge in the way of development. It is very necessary that the state government plans well to spend the amount of money which the central government has sent to take its full benefit. It is also very important that the amount of money that the Central Government sends for the development of Nagaland, its every paisa is spent for your development. Once in our country, a prime minister had said that if the center sends one rupee, only 15 paise reaches the beneficiaries. We will change this situation.

 

The government of Bharatiya Janata Party in Nagaland will ensure that the amount sent from Delhi for your development has reached you. We are finishing the Loopholes all over the country through modern technology, ending the leakage, which caused looting of government money.

 

Naga problem will be solved 

 

Our government is also making serious efforts to resolve the political problem that is here. I hope that “in the next few months” we will be able to find a solution that honors Naga people and respect their political rights. We are taking everyone together for this.

 

The solution to this concern of Naga people will further strengthen the democracy of our country. As a family we can all afford to develop ourselves for the development of our country, this path will pave the way forward.

 

Respect for every voice emerging for the good of Nagaland

 

Our government respects every voice emerging for the betterment of Nagaland. Our government has always opened the path of dialogue with everyone who has faith in the country’s democracy. Our government is always ready to talk to them.

 

 Mantra of everyone with development

 

Friends, our constitution protects the rights of every citizen of the country. Due to Nagaland’s cultural diversity, the feeling of walking with everyone makes us different in the whole world. Protecting the rights of the people of Nagaland is our duty. Your unique lifestyle is India’s national pride and the Central Government is fully committed to protecting it.

 

India’s development saga cannot be fulfilled till the development of our country is balanced, unless the development of the eastern part is not equal to the western part. Therefore, our government has given special emphasis on the development of eight states in eight North-Eastern states.

 

The government is working on ‘Act East Policy’, which aims to increase people’s relationship with the North-East i.e.the countries located in East India, especially the ASEAN countries and Bangladesh. Increasing contact between people will increase economic prosperity in the entire North-Eastern region. Better relationships with Myanmar can be used for better cross-border trade.

 

The Central Government has laid a lot of emphasis on improving infrastructure in this area. My vision for the Northeast is ‘Transformation by Transportation’.

 

The government has recently approved “North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme”. Under this, the Central Government is funding 100% to meet the shortfall in funding for the building of infrastructure. The government will give around Rs. 5300 crores in three years.

 

The new plan involves the construction of infrastructure related to projects that broadly promote infrastructure of water supply, power, connectivity and especially tourism and social sectors of education and health.

 

The goal of the government is to give special attention to meet the special needs of the North Eastern Region so that the growth rate of this region is equal to other areas of the country. In this direction, various ministries have been giving special exemption to the North East under their current plans. We have made it mandatory for all Central Ministries to spend 10% of their budget in the North East.

 

Central Government’s efforts for connectivity

 

Brothers and sisters, the connectivity in Nagaland has been a major problem. Whether it is road, rail or air connectivity or power connectivity. The central government is constantly making efforts to eliminate this problem related to connectivity.

 

The more the connectivity will increase in this area, more will be the development of every sector and new employment opportunities will be created.

 

When the NDA government was formed at the center, Nagaland had a thousand kilometer of national highways. In less than four years, we have increased the 500 km national highway in Nagaland. Currently, about 6 thousand crore road projects in Nagaland are underway. In the next three-four years, the central government is going to spend more than Rs 10,000 crore on the construction of roads in Nagaland.

 

In the same way, for the rail connectivity, the central government is spending more than Rs. 55 crores on the construction of new railway lines in the entire northeast. The government is working to connect every capital city of the North Eastern states to the broad gauge line. The work of Dimapur-Kohima new railway line has also been started at a cost of Rs. 3000 crores.

 

To connect the remote areas of the country with air connectivity, the central government has started the UDAAN scheme. The purpose of this scheme is to let every citizen fly. I want that anybody wearing sandals  can also easily travel in the airplane.

 

I have been told that the government has received a proposal to fly from Dimapur to Shillong airport under the UDAAN scheme. Once these services are started, the people here will get direct flights to Shillong.

 

Efforts to strengthen power connectivity in Nagaland

 

The central government is also spending about Rs 800 crore to improve power connectivity and power distribution in Nagaland. It is the result of the efforts of the Central Government that in the last three years, power has been provided to those villages of Nagaland, where electricity has not reached even after so many years of independence.

 

Now the Central Government is working on this goal that electricity connections reach every home. Prime Minister Good Luck Scheme has been launched for this. Under this scheme, free electricity connections will be given to one lakh houses of Nagaland.

 

Friends, Nagaland’s total population is about 20 lakhs. In Nagaland with a population of 20 lakh, only about 60 percent of households have electricity connections. Nearly 40 percent of the households in the state have no electricity connection, showing how the development work was done in the previous governments.

 

I have told that about one million LED bulbs have been distributed in Nagaland under the Ujala scheme. These are saving you billions of rupees 50 crores annually in the electricity bill.

 

Kohima to be built on Smart City

 

Under the Smart City Mission, Kohima has been decided to become a Smart City. For this, about 1800 crore rupees will be spent on Kohima.

 

Apart from this, the approval for the construction of approximately 8,500 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Rural has been given in Nagaland. For the construction of incomplete homes of new homes and old schemes, the center has been given more than Rs. 160 crores in the last four years.

 

Center’s efforts in health sector

 

Brothers & Sisters, Central Government is constantly working to improve the health infrastructure in Nagaland. Here, the central government is aware of the kind of problems women face in the institutional delivery. Therefore, in the last four years, Rs 400 crore has been released under Nagaland National Health Mission.

 

In this budget, the central government has announced the scheme of Ayushman Bharat. This plan is being discussed all over the world. Under this scheme, health assurance will be given to 10 million poor families of the country. The government has decided that a poor family will be treated for treatment of critical illness up to Rs 5 lakh in a year.

 

Efforts on organic farming

 

Friends, this part of our country can easily be declared as carbon negative. If efforts by State Governments increase, eight north-east states may be carbon negatives. The identity of carbon negative states can set this region of the country as a major brand on the whole world map.

 

Similarly, like Sikkim has declared itself as 100 percent organic state, other states of the northeast can also sharpen their efforts in this direction.

 

Friends, our country will celebrate 75 years of independence in 2022. Nagaland can also take the resolution that by 2022, it will develop itself as a 100 percent organic and carbon negative state.

 

In order to promote organic farming, the Central Government has started the traditional agricultural development plan. Under this, the government is developing more than 10 thousand organic clusters across the country. 100 Farmer Producers Organizations have also been created in the North East. More than 50 thousand farmers have been added to this.

 

In this budget, the government has declared tax benefits for cooperative societies for Farmer Producers Organizations.

 

Arrangements have been made for the farmers here to sell Organic Produce in Delhi.

 

Larger Benefits From Center Decision on Bamboo

 

In an important decision, our government has made significant changes in a law related to bamboo. Bamboo grown in non-forest areas has been exempted from the definition of “tree”. It will not need to seek permission for bamboo harvesting for economic use. The previous law was proving to be a major obstacle in the way of bamboo cultivation in non-forest land.

 

In the budget, the National Bamboo Mission has been changed with a cost of around 1300 crores. This will benefit the production of bamboo and bamboo based industries in the country. People belonging to the Kraft Sector of Nagaland, the farmers here too will be benefitted greatly.

 

Skills Development in Nagaland Youth

 

Energetic youth of Nagaland, creative women here, the innovative farmers here, Demographic Dividend here can take the state to new heights. The sports talent in Nagaland is capable of giving a new identity to the state. Because of the progress made in the field of education and health in Nagaland, people here deserve praise.

 

Young people of Nagaland have expertise in English language. Because of this, IT outsourcing and BPO Business can create a better opportunity for the people here.

 

Programs like Skill India Mission, Start Up India, Stand Up India are being run by the Central Government for self employment of the youth &  for their skill development. The government is also giving non-bank guarantee loans under the Prime Minister’s Mudra Scheme. Nagaland’s 27 thousand youth have taken advantage of it.

 

I will urge the women and young people here to take advantage of more and more schemes and fulfill their dreams.

 

In this year’s budget, our government has made a big announcement regarding the education of children living in tribal areas. Such blocks where more than 50 percent of the population belong to Scheduled Tribes, more than 20 thousand Aboriginal people, there will be Ekalavya Model Residential School like Navodaya Vidyalaya.

 

Peaceful election appeal in Nagaland

 

Dear friends, various organisations of Nagaland have advocated for transparent and peaceful elections. I support every organization that is focusing on transparency, peace and stability for the development of Nagaland. Here I welcome the ‘Clean Election Movement’ launched by the Civil Society.

 

I appeal to you to vote for BJP-NDPP alliance on 27th February. Being a government of BJP coalition both in Nagaland and in the center, the development will give double engine strength here.

 

Termination of address with Naga words

 

Moi imaan dur pora aahishe, Naga laga niyam pora aami ke khaali haath na pathabi

 

Morom pora BJP-NDPP alliance ke vote dibi

 

Kuknalim … Jai Nagaland !!

 

(Meaning: I have come a long way to Nagaland. As it is a Naga tradition, please do not send me empty hand. Vote for BJP-NDPP alliance).

 

Speech delivered on February 22, 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi