Aizawl, Nov 14 (IANS) Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said that the northeast region is the vantage point and the entry point for all of South East Asian countries into the Indian sub-continent and much play a very important role in the dynamics of India’s growth.

After reviewing the implementation of the central projects and schemes in Mizoram with the state Chief Minister Lalduhoma, Scindia referring to the infrastructure as well the human resource development of northeast said that the region has received government funding of close to Rs 27,000 crore per annum and 10 per cent of the gross budgetary support of the 55 line Ministries which receives over one lakh five thousand crore in terms of the annual capital expenditure from the Centre.

He said that the purpose of the meeting with the Chief Minister is to jointly look at the projects of Mizoram's growth and development.

The Union Minister during the review meeting with the Chief Minister and his teams examined the progress of implementation of various schemes of the Ministry of DoNER in Mizoram.

Scindia said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been an immense transformation in the development of the northeast region in the last ten years.

Highlighting the overall infrastructural development of the northeastern region the DoNER Minister mentioned that highways close to over 4500 km of road have been constructed under PMGSY spending close to Rs 50,000 crore.

National highways have been drawn from 10,000 km to close to 16, 000 km, the Minister said, adding that in the northeast there were only nine airports and two states without a single airport, today there are 17 airports in the 8 states of northeast.

He said that as far as railways are concerned only one state was connected by railways but today three state capitals of the region are connected and in the near future all the state capitals will be connected by the railways.

Scindia said that 19 railway projects are undertaken in the region with an estimated amount of Rs 82,000 crore for the development of railways in the region-specific to Mizoram.

He further said that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the investment in Mizoram has increased.

From the period of 2004 to 2014 over 10 years Mizoram received only Rs 4734 crore which means an average of less than 500 crore per year but today Mizoram has received close to Rs 33,178 crore.

In the areas of road, 910 km of national highways and close to 600 km of National highways corridors have been sanctioned with capital investment close to Rs 11465 crore and Mizoram has been connected with a broad-gauge of railway line at Bairabi in May 2016 and now work is ongoing from Bairabi to Sairang rail line projects at the cost of Rs 8213 crore.

Over 93 per cent of the 52 km project with 43 tunnels and 142 bridges has been completed.

He further highlights that Mizoram has huge potential in the civil aviation, tourism, telecommunication, horticulture and agriculture sectors.