Centre reiterates commitment to poor, NE development: BL Verma

Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Social Justice & Empowerment, BL Verma, on Wednesday reaffirmed the Centre’s firm commitment to the welfare of the poor and accelerated development of the Northeast, including Nagaland, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing a press conference at the DC Conference Hall here after a review meeting with the district administration, heads of departments (HoDs) and senior officials, Verma said his two-day visit to Nagaland included inspections of key facilities such as the Unity Mall, an Anganwadi Centre and the under-construction Cancer Referral Hospital. He said detailed reviews of various departmental schemes and ongoing projects were conducted through presentations by HODs, in the presence of senior officials from his ministries.
Highlighting his familiarity with the region, Verma recalled that he had earlier served as minister of state in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the Ministry of Cooperation, which gave him extensive exposure to the Northeast. He credited Prime Minister Modi for redefining the importance of the region by referring to it as “Ashtalakshmi”, stating that the gateway to India’s development passes through the Northeast.
Verma maintained that since 2014, unprecedented development had taken place across the country, particularly benefiting the poor, farmers, women and youth. He cited flagship welfare schemes such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, under which over 55 crore zero-balance accounts were opened; Swachh Bharat Mission, with over 12 crore toilets constructed; Ujjwala Yojana, providing more than 10 crore free LPG connections; Ayushman Bharat, offering free treatment up to Rs. 5 lakh; and the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has provided tap water connections to over 15 crore households.
Stating that food security remained a top priority, Verma said free ration was being provided to over 80 crore people across the country. In Nagaland alone, he said, more than 14 lakh beneficiaries were receiving 5 kg of free ration per person under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and Antyodaya Anna Yojana, with around 11,000 metric tonnes of rice allocated to the state every month. He added that modernisation of fair price shops through PoS machines and digital weighing systems was aimed at ensuring transparency and preventing leakages.
Responding to queries on alleged under-weighing and illegal deductions at fair price shops, Verma asserted zero tolerance towards corruption. He said the introduction of PoS machines and weighing mechanisms was intended precisely to curb such practices and assured that any specific complaint would be investigated, with strict action taken against erring dealers if found guilty.
On social welfare initiatives, Verma highlighted continuous efforts towards empowerment of Divyangjans and senior citizens. He said over 19,500 camps had been organised nationwide to distribute aids and appliances to more than 33 lakh Divyangjans. In the Northeast, 326 camps benefited over 50,000 persons, while in Nagaland, 31 camps benefited 935 individuals. He also informed that a Pradhan Mantri Divyasha Kendra had been established in Dimapur, enabling Divyangjans and senior citizens to access testing and assistive devices without waiting for special camps.
Verma further stated that scholarships amounting to Rs. 5 crore had been provided to Divyang students in the Northeast, while Nagaland received Rs. 2.60 lakh benefiting 14 students. He also highlighted the issuance of UDID cards, with over 3.28 lakh cards issued in the region, including 3,884 in Nagaland.
Referring to infrastructure development, Verma said rural roads, national highways, airports and rail connectivity in the Northeast had seen significant expansion since 2014. He added that funding support for initiatives such as palm oil cultivation and major projects under PM-DevINE and North Eastern Council schemes was progressing, including the Cancer Referral Hospital in Nagaland.
Dwelling on the national economy, Verma said India had emerged as the fourth-largest economy in the world and was poised to become a top-three economy during Prime Minister Modi’s third term. He reiterated the vision of making India a “Samriddh Bharat” by 2047, marking 100 years of Independence.
Concluding the press conference, Verma assured full cooperation from the Centre to the state and district administration, stating that wherever support was required for implementing central schemes or addressing shortcomings, his ministries would extend all possible assistance.