PM says North-east must receive more attention

Bagdogra, May 17 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today agreed that the North-Eastern states must receive more attention and said his government was taking several steps to accelerate the pace of development in the region.

Addressing a press conference here on his way back to Delhi after a two-day visit to Bhutan, Dr Singh said the government had already put in place a new industrial policy that would create new opportunities for the region.

According to him, such large-scale initiatives for the development of the area had never been undertaken in the past.

Dr Singh, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam, said insurgency-related violence had disturbed the atmosphere in the region.

He said that at a time when the Centre was planning several steps to increase investment and employment in the region, insurgent groups should not receive any encouragement from any quarter.

The Prime Minister said the government had planned concrete steps to implement the Assam Gas Cracker project which had been announced several years ago.

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