Agartala: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Saturday, urged the Chief Ministers, Governors, and citizens of the Northeast to intensify efforts towards making the region drug-free within the “shortest possible time,” as part of the larger goal to create a drug-free India. Addressing the 72nd Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Shah emphasized that although significant progress had been made in recent years, the pace of the fight against addiction needed to increase.
“In the past few years, the Northeast has emerged as both a major corridor and consumption center for highly addictive and contraband drugs. A lot of work has been done in the last six years, but our speed is not enough. I request the chief ministers, governors, and people of the Northeast to spare no effort to make the region drug-free. The entire Northeast has to be drug and addiction-free in the shortest possible time,” said Shah.
He added that the larger target is to make the entire nation drug-free. Shah’s remarks come as the region grapples with increasing drug abuse, which has impacted the youth and social fabric of several northeastern states.
Shah also discussed the progress made in combating violence and insurgency in the region. Recalling the historical context of terrorism and non-violence that has long plagued the Northeast, he stated that the focus now needs to shift to ensuring every citizen enjoys the constitutional rights to property, honor, and family protection, secured through new criminal laws.
“The time has come that every citizen of the Northeast should get the rights granted by the Constitution. Our goal now is to ensure people’s rights, instead of confronting extremists. The police forces in every state need a shift in approach, training, and focus,” he explained.
Shah highlighted that the central government had adopted a multi-pronged approach to security, which had led to a marked decrease in violence and fatalities over the last decade. “In the last 10 years, violent incidents in the region have decreased by 31 percent, and civilian deaths have fallen by 86 percent,” he said. Shah also noted the successful surrender of over 10,500 militants and numerous peace agreements signed in the past years.
Emphasizing the ongoing security improvements, Shah called for a revamped approach by law enforcement to deliver justice more swiftly, ensuring that citizens receive responses within three years of filing complaints.
Connectivity was another area Shah spotlighted during his address, stating that the issue of infrastructure was no longer a barrier in the region. He revealed that the government has invested Rs 81,000 crore for rail connectivity and Rs 41,000 crore for road infrastructure in the northeastern states. Additionally, Shah noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expedited development projects across the region and that Union ministers had spent over 700 nights in northeastern states since the BJP-led government assumed power.
Shah also pointed to the transformative potential of the land boundary agreements with Bangladesh, describing them as a gateway for increased investments and greater global connectivity for the Northeast.
The Home Minister also stressed the importance of rural development, particularly in boosting local agriculture and livestock sectors. “Development is not just about increasing the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). We need self-sufficiency in vegetables, milk, eggs, and meat,” he said. Shah further encouraged the region’s Chief Ministers to collaborate with the National Organic Corporation Ltd (NOCL) to promote organic farming, packaging, marketing, and export of organic products from the Northeast.
The session saw the participation of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, governors, and chief ministers of all eight northeastern states, alongside senior officials. This marks the second time that Agartala has hosted the NEC plenary since 2008, underscoring the city’s growing importance in the region’s development discussions.
The North Eastern Council is the nodal body for the economic and social development of the region, which includes Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.