The North News
Imphal, September 13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated a series of development projects worth more than ₹1,200 crore in Imphal, Manipur, saying they would boost infrastructure, create jobs and strengthen the economy of the state. Speaking at the launch, Mr Modi highlighted two key initiatives — the Manipur Urban Roads Project, with an investment of over ₹3,600 crore, and the Manipur Infotech Development Project, worth more than ₹500 crore. He said the schemes would modernise road infrastructure in Imphal and inject “new energy” into the state’s future.
The Prime Minister told the gathering that “the 21st century belongs to the East and the North East,” stressing that Manipur was now developing at a pace much faster than before 2014, when its growth rate was under one percent. He said a “new phase of infrastructure development” had begun, with rapid work underway to expand highway and village road connectivity.
Modi also said Imphal was a “city of possibilities” and should become one of India’s most developed urban centres. Under the Smart City Mission, several projects have been completed in the capital, with many more under construction.
The Prime Minister noted that opportunities were opening for start-ups and technology-driven industries, pointing to the completion of the first building in the state’s new IT Special Economic Zone. He also announced the readiness of a long-demanded Civil Secretariat building, which he said would strengthen citizen-centred governance.
Modi added that Manipur Bhavans had been set up in Delhi and Kolkata to provide affordable accommodation for people from the state, especially women students and workers, easing the concerns of families back home.
He acknowledged that floods continued to pose challenges for Manipur and said projects were underway to address the problem. He also praised the state’s tradition of women-led markets such as Ima Keithel, announcing the inauguration of four new Ima Markets to support women entrepreneurs.
Highlighting his government’s push to reduce living costs, Modi said the reduction of GST on everyday items such as soap, clothes and footwear, as well as on cement, hotels and food services, would ease household budgets and encourage tourism.
