Aizawl: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said that India is the fifth-largest and the fastest-growing economy in the world.
Speaking to reporters in Mizoram’s Aizawl on Thursday, Karandlaje stated that the country’s economy is growing rapidly due to the good governance witnessed during the last ten years of Modi’s government.
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She claimed that there have been no cases of corruption and that Modi’s government is the cleanest thus far in the country.
She added that the Central Government has empowered the people of India through the launch of various welfare schemes.
Karandlaje stated that the Modi government is focusing on infrastructure development, noting that progress and development can only be achieved with robust infrastructure.
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Regarding the Northeast, Karandlaje, who was on a two-day visit, accused previous governments at the Centre of neglecting the Northeast states.
She asserted that the NDA government, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is giving top priority to the region in terms of development.
She noted that the fund allocation to the Northeast states was much lower during previous governments.
“The Northeast was financially weak in the past because the previous Central governments did not focus on the region. The fund allocation to the region was very low,” the Union Minister stated in a news conference.
She said that during the 10 years (from 2004 to 2014) of the Congress-led UPA government, the tax devolution given to Mizoram was only Rs. 4,734 crore, which was very low compared to the tax devolution during the 10 years of Modi’s government.
From 2014 to 2024, the Modi government allocated Rs. 33,178 crore in tax devolution to Mizoram, a 600 percent increase compared to the UPA rule, she said.
The grant-in-aid to the hilly state had also increased by 94 percent during the 10 years of the NDA rule, compared to Rs. 21,359 crore given during the 10 years of the UPA government, she added.
Karandlaje mentioned that Mizoram will receive Rs. 7,112.23 crore in tax devolution and Rs. 3,853 crore as grant-in-aid as allocated in the Union budget for the financial year 2025-2026.
She reiterated that the NDA government gives priority to the Northeast and is focused on infrastructural development in the region.
Many cities in the Northeast are now connected by national highways, railways, and airports under the NDA government, she said.
The Union Minister of State also stated that Mizoram will soon be connected by broad-gauge railway, and the Centre is taking steps to upgrade the state’s lone airport at Lengpui to accommodate cargo flights.
Karandlaje, who also holds the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) portfolio, mentioned that the Centre is also focusing on agriculture, horticulture, MSMEs, and skill development.
Modi’s government has created a separate skill development department to train the younger generation in various fields, including traditional occupations, as there is high demand for skilled labor in other countries, she said.
Since the Northeast states are known for organic farming, special attention is being given to organic agricultural production, and states have been encouraged to grow more pulses and edible oils, she added.
Citing the need for active participation, Karandlaje urged officials in the Northeastern states to take an interest in Central funds and schemes.
She stressed that they should play a proactive role in educating the people, particularly farmers, about the various Central schemes.