Northeast can become major centre of tourism: HM Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said country's rastern region with its rich natural beauty, culture and art can emerge as a major centre of world tourism.

Inaugurating 'Destination rth East-2020', a four-day event showcasing region's rich herit, diversity and tourism potentials, Shah said under leership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rastern region will emerge as one of favourite tourism and business destinations of India.

“rast, rich in natural beauty, folk culture and art, is fully capable of becoming a major centre of world tourism,” he said.

home minister said 'Destination rth East-2020', which will continue till September 30 here, aims to introduce various cultures of country to each or along with tourist destinations of rast and through this whole of India will also get familiar with vibrant and diverse culture of region.

Shah said he has seen tourist places of many states and countries but beauty of rast is unparalleled.

“rast is jewel of India and without it Indian culture is incomplete,” he said.

Inviting next ceremony to be organised in his constituency Gandhinagar, Shah said it will familiarise people of rast with culture of Gujarat while people of Gujarat will be introduced to culture of rast.

home minister said peace in rast is very important for ecomic development, promotion of tourism and employment in region.

rast, which was once in news due to terrorism, blockes, violence, is w kwn for development, tourism, organic farming, industry and start-ups and this has been possible due to Modi's leership in last six years, he said.

Shah said a lot of work has been done to establish peace in rast under leership of Modi.

land boundary agreement with Banglesh, end of blocke in Manipur, signing of Bodo agreement and surrender by 641 cres of eight militant groups were among table achievements of Modi government, he said.

home minister said after becoming prime minister, Modi has visited rast more than 30 times — most by any prime minister since Independence.  He said development is t possible without proper funds and earlier plans were me for development of rast but amount allocated for region was very less.

14th Finance Commission increased allocation for rast by 251 per cent to Rs 3,13,375 crore, whereas previous government through 13th Finance Commission h given only Rs 89,168 crore, he said.

Shah also said opting an all-inclusive and all-encompassing model of development, Modi government has decided to spend 21 per cent of budget of rastern Council on backward districts, vills and deprived communities.

home minister said Modi government has me a huge effort in direction of linking rastern states amongst mselves and connecting region with rest of India by rail, ro and air links.

Under this, he said, six railway projects worth Rs 15,088 crore have been completed, Rs 553 crore will be spent on development of airports and about Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated on 19 ro projects of 869 km length.

Shah said during coronavirus pandemic, Modi government has provided all health facilities to people of rast including medicines and treatment through teleconference by AIIMS doctors.

He called for making rast a hub of tourism, industry, IT and organic farming to increase rast's participation in country's GDP by 2024.

After independence, he said, region's share in country's GDP was about 20 per cent which has come down w.

Union Minister for Development of rastern Region Jitendra Singh and Chief Ministers of eight rastern states were present on occasion.

'Destination rth East' is a calendar event of Ministry of Development of rastern Region conceptualised with objective of taking region to or parts of country and bringing m closer in order to strengn national integration.

For 'Destination rth East 2020', me is ' Emerging Delightful Destinations' which speaks of tourism destinations emerging stronger and more attractive when sector picks up momentum.