Govt committed to 'Act East, Act Fast' for India's 'Ashtalakshmi' in northeast: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took pot-shots at successive Congress governments, accusing them of keeping Sikkim’s development projects on the back burner.

“The Congress neglected health services in Sikkim. The current government is committed to augmenting health infrastructure and providing quality and affordable service to people,” the prime minister said in Gangtok while addressing a gathering during a function to mark Sikkim’s 50^th statehood day on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Modi said that the Centre was not only committed to its “Act East” policy but was resolved to “Act Fast” for the eight northeast states, which he described as India’s ‘Ashtalakshmi’—representing the multifaceted nature of prosperity, wealth, and auspiciousness.

Asserting that tourism was the mainstay of Sikkim’s economy, the prime minister, while addressing the closing ceremony of celebrations to mark the golden jubilee of the state’s statehood, said his government’s focus is on boosting its connectivity, which would increase tourist inflow.

The government is committed to augmenting Sikkim’s infrastructure, including building an expressway from West Bengal’s Bagdogra, and a ring road in Gangtok to increase tourist inflow,” Modi told the gathering.

Modi further said that the Northeast, including Sikkim, is set to become the hub of futuristic growth and sustainable development through initiatives such as organic agriculture.

“Sikkim has immense scope in eco-wellness tourism, which the government is promoting. As many as 1,000 homestays are being built, and adventure tourism is getting an infrastructure boost,” he said.