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Northeast as the “Ashtalakshmi” Aid have nearly doubled to ₹5.66
of India. In the very first few lakh crore. From Bhupen Hazarika
months of taking office, he was Setu, Bogibeel Bridge, or Silchar-
on ground in the Northeast. At Shillong four-lane expressway,
the time, few outside the region India’s first high-speed corridor
noticed. Fewer still understood in hilly terrain; each project
the significance. However, that exemplifies government's ability
visit, and the promises made on to deliver complex connectivity
that soil, marked the beginning solutions in challenging
of a decade-long mission: to geographies. The recently
transform the Northeast from a completed Bairabi–Sairangrail
neglected corner into a national line in Mizoram connects Aizawl
frontier of growth, security, and to the national railway network,
international opportunity. bringing us closer to our 2027
In terms of financial target of linking all of the eight
commitment, the transformation capitals by rail. With ₹80,000
of the Northeast under Prime crore invested in railways and
Minister Modi’s leadership is the number of airports in the
anchored by historic levels of region doubling from 9 to 17, the
investment. Over ₹6.2 lakh crore Northeast has transitioned from
has been funneled into the region being perceived as ‘landlocked’
through 10% Gross Budgetary to becoming ‘land-linked’ and
Support by Central ministries. future-ready.
Infrastructure investments alone While infrastructure laid the
have exceeded ₹5 lakh crore. foundation, what truly defines this
The tax devolution to NER states transformation is the renewed
has grown multifold, reaching investor confidence in the eight
₹5.74 lakh crore, while Grants-in-

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