Development of Hailakandi kickstarted only after Narendra Modi became PM: Meenakshi Lekhi

Meenakshi Lekhi, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Government of India, is on a visit to Hailakandi District. The MoS was received by Silchar MP, Dr Rajdeep Roy at Kumbhirgram Airport, Silchar. Later the minister of the ruling party went to Kachakanti Temple to offer her prayers. The main purpose behind her visit to Hailakandi is to take stock of the progress of rapid development in the aspirational district.

From Silchar, she went to Hailakandi to meet the Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi and other senior officers of the district. After a long schedule of meetings and report collection and analysis of the various undergoing projects in the district, she also addressed the press about her visit to the “Aspirational District: Hailakandi”. The Aspirational District Programme was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2018. 112 most under-developed districts were identified with the aim of quick and effective transformation.

In her Press Briefing from the DC Office, Hailakandi, the Union MoS said, “Even after 75 years of Independence, there has been no development in this district. The work has been started under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in 2014. This district has been declared an aspirational district and I’ve come here today to review to what extent the schemes for aspirational district are being implemented and at what speed. There is Jal Jeevan Mission for the supply of drinking water, there is also Pragati CMS scheme which is for the Self Help Groups, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is also there among other schemes. Other than that, various other schemes are there for the aspirational district and today, we’ve checked to what extent these schemes are being implemented in reality. The health sector related schemes were also analysed and the shortcomings of the Jal Jeevan Mission were found. After analysing all these schemes, a detailed report will be prepared, which then will be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office in Delhi”.

When asked after five years of this aspirational district scheme what percentage of the work has been completed, the Union MoS didn’t give a direct answer. She said, “What couldn’t be done in 70 years, can’t be done in 5 years. But a lot has been done and is still going on. I’ve met many progressive farmers today, who are doing innovative farming with newer technologies and new cash crops. I am taking with me all the data and after review, the reports will be piled up and published”.

Talking about the crisis in the tea industry of the district and the labour migration, the MoS said, “The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is working on it. Efforts are being made to make the tea gardens better and there are many schemes”.

Addressing the question of “price rise” Lekhi said, “There is no price rise. The government has given free ration to a huge population and to deal with that there’s a price rise. 82 crore population has been provided free ration and the government is constantly working to make the lives of the poor better. You must also know about the international situation going on right now”. Talking about the satisfaction with the Hailakandi Administration, she said, “The point is not of satisfaction. Our government is celebrating Azadi Ka Amroot Mahotsav rising beyond party politics. We should work as one nation and not just deal with party politics. We all should try to solve the problems of common people and make their lives better. I’ve suggested ideas for the development of this district, starting from food processing. Hailakandi is an agriculture dominated district and we have to develop that sector. I would also live to request the MLAs of this district to develop the farming sector. Be it jackfruit plantation or coconut farming. I had no idea that Hailakandi could produce olives, which is a costly cash crop. This talks about the potential and the whole district should try to gain profit from this and plant these cash crops in huge numbers”. The Union MoS said she’ll go back collecting all these reports which will be reviewed and later published by the Prime Minister’s Office.