We've brought northeast India closer to Delhi: Modi (Lead)

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said efforts made by his government have brought the people of northeast India closer to Delhi and the region was witnessing multi-faceted development.

"Four years ago, people from northeast used to feel Delhi is far away. In the past four years, we have brought the northeast closer to Delhi," he said in his address to the nation from the Red Fort here on the occasion of the nation's 72nd Independence Day.

Modi said the atmosphere of peace had created a new confidence amongst the people in the region.

"Now, when we read about the northeast in the papers, we see villages getting electricity, highways and railways being constructed. New job opportunities have been created and educational institutes are coming up," he said.

The northeast has special significance for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as it is keen to do well in the region to make up for possible loss of seats in the northern states.

Modi also spoke about the progress in the northeast in infrastructure, connectivity and electricity transmission.

"Electricity has reached the last village. BPOs are coming up. It is becoming a hub of organic farming and a sports university is also being set up," he said.

The Prime Minister said personnel of army, paramilitary forces, police and intelligence agencies work very hard to ensure a peaceful internal security situation and there had been a very significant improvement in the situation in the northeast.

Referring to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he said said that it has been removed from Tripura and Meghalaya and also from several districts of Arunachal Pradesh.