Our people are on the march

Honourable Members,

My Government has taken a number of measures for the welfare of the people in the North East. Almost Rs 10,000 crores of investment is being made at Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh and in Tripura in thermal power projects using local coal and gas. Particular emphasis will be given to the border areas in this region, specially Arunachal Pradesh, for infrastructure and road development. The accelerated North-East Road Development project is under consideration, which will provide connectivity to state capitals and district headquarters in the North-East, and include upgradation of such other stretches of national and state highways which are critical for the economic development of the region.

My Government is actively engaged in reviewing and streamlining of procedures under the Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources for the North East. A new industrial policy for the North East will be announced shortly. A North East health package is also being developed and will be put in place at the earliest. In order to address problems faced by students and working women from the North East while living in the national capital, a 500-bed girls' hostel in the Delhi University and a 500-bed hostel for working women have been approved. My Government will set up a National Institute of Technology in Tripura, a Central Institute of Technology at Kokrajhar, and an Indian Institute of Management in the North-East. The proposed North-Eastern Water Resources Authority is expected to ensure effective utilization of hydro-power generation capacity in the region, especially in Arunachal Pradesh. The North-Eastern Council has been revitalized and work on fencing along the India- Bangladesh border is being speeded up.

I am happy to inform you that the Rs. 24,000 crore package for Jammu and Kashmir has been successfully launched and substantial progress has been made in several sectors. The response of the Central and State Government agencies and civil society at large to the unfortunate earthquake in the state was commendable. The Government's courageous decision to disburse financial assistance for rehabilitation directly to the affected persons has been appreciated by the people. According to the latest reports, most of the restoration work is nearly complete. Substantial help was received from other state governments, public sector organizations and NGOs from all over the country. The Srinagar- Muzzafarabad bus service is operating normally and my Government's initiative in this regard has been universally acclaimed, most importantly by the people of Jammu & Kashmir. I pay tribute to the commitment of the people of the state to peace which has given an impetus to the peace process and normalization of the situation at the ground level.

My Government has remained deeply committed to national security and pursued a two-pronged approach of reaching out to disaffected sections of our society while dealing firmly with terrorists and other anti-national forces. There has been an improvement in the law and order situation across the country, especially in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-eastern States. The number of incidents of civilians killed and persons kidnapped in both Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East have registered a decline in the last year. Government is engaged in talks, including at the highest level, with a large number of political groups in both regions. These talks have progressed in a constructive manner and have contributed to relieving the sense of alienation among some of our people.

My Government has also expressed its willingness to talk to all political groups to address their grievances, real or imaginary. At the same time, my Government is steadfast in its resolve to combat terrorism, militancy and extremism and to uphold the rule of law. We acted swiftly to deal with terrorist attacks in various parts of the country, including in our national capital and in Bangalore, at the temple of learning, the Indian Institute of Science. I was deeply distressed and pained by the senseless killing of so many innocent citizens, including a distinguished scientist. Government will act without fear or favour in bringing the guilty to book and will wage a relentless war against terrorism. We will work with all those committed to this battle from across the world.

The President at the Dr Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa on 16.09.2004.