Agartala, 13th May 2026: Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Wednesday asserted that the North Eastern region is undergoing unprecedented development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while alleging that previous Congress-led governments had failed to give due attention to the region.
Speaking after his return from a swearing-in event in Assam, Dr. Saha said Prime Minister Modi has consistently emphasized the importance of the North East, describing the eight states including Sikkim as “Ashta Lakshmi.”
He highlighted that the Centre created a separate Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and introduced the “Act East Policy” to accelerate growth and connectivity in the region. According to him, the government’s initiatives are bringing visible transformation across the North East.
The Chief Minister further stated that the combined geographical size of the North Eastern states exceeds that of Uttar Pradesh, echoing a remark previously made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said the region’s economic growth would play a key role in strengthening India’s GDP.
Dr. Saha also claimed that before 2014, the North East did not receive adequate focus from the Centre, except during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had launched the “Look East Policy.” He added that Prime Minister Modi later expanded it into the “Act East Policy” with greater emphasis on development and regional integration.
He said the ongoing developmental push has increased people’s confidence in the BJP-led NDA government, which, according to him, is reflected in the alliance’s continued electoral success across the region.
