PM Modi's first visit to northeast in November-end, likely to review security conditions

Agartala, Nov 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first visit to the northeast in November-end and will inaugurate the annual conference of state police chiefs in Guwahati Nov 29, an official said here on Tuesday.

He is also likely to meet the chief ministers of all the eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, in Guwahati Nov 29, a top Tripura government official told IANS.

"The meet would review national security, recent developments in view of the blast in Burdwan in West Bengal and Islamist terror outfit's activities in connection with Bangladesh. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the DGs' annual conference," the official said.

"The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Manipur Nov 30, Nagaland and Tripura Dec 1 and Arunachal Pradesh Dec 2. However, his itinerary is likely to be slightly rescheduled," the official said on condition of anonymity.

For the first time, the country's police chiefs meeting will be held outside the national capital.

The decision came after Modi's plan to hold such important meetings in places other than New Delhi.

The official said this will be Modi's first visit to the northeastern states after he assumed office May 26. However, as BJP's (Bharatiya Janata Party) prime ministerial candidate, Modi had visited the states.

In Nagaland, Modi will inaugurate Nagaland's biggest festival - 'Hornbill Festival' and in Manipur, he will inaugurate the 'Sangai Festival', which showcases the diverse cultures of Manipur.

Later, the prime minister will inaugurate the second unit of the 726-MW power project in Palatana in southern Tripura.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has commissioned its biggest ever commercial power project (726 MW) at Palatana in southern Tripura.

The power generation from the first unit (363 MW) of the Rs.9,000-crore Palatana power plant began December 2013 and the second unit (363 MW) is expected to start generation after its inauguration Dec 1.

The first unit of the Palatana power project was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee June 21 last year.

IANS