Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday issued a clarion call while addressing the 73rd plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
Declaring that insurgency is no longer the defining challenge of the Northeast, Mr Shah urged the eight northeastern states to move beyond traditional law-and-order concerns and focus on safeguarding the rights and welfare of citizens.
He said the region has undergone a remarkable transformation under the Narendra Modi-led government, with decades of violence giving way to an era of peace, development and economic opportunity.
Mr Shah emphasised that state governments should align their priorities with the changing realities of the region and concentrate on building institutions and infrastructure that would benefit future generations.
"In the NEC meeting, I instructed the Chief Ministers to shift the focus from law and order to protecting the rights of citizens, as insurgency is no longer an issue," he said.
The Home Minister also urged the states to invest immediately in modern technological infrastructure and skill development initiatives to enable young people to participate in the digital economy and compete globally.
"States should build capacity in AI, machine learning and blockchain for the new generation. They should also promote the Northeast's potential in agarwood, foreign trade and health tourism," he added.
