New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Bodoland region, which had faced decades of insurgency and unrest, is now witnessing a new chapter of transformation marked by peace and development as he launched and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth more than Rs 4,570 crore in Assam.
The projects focused on infrastructure, connectivity, and public services aimed at accelerating growth in the Bodoland region.
The projects were inaugurated in programmes held in Guwahati and Kokrajhar, with the Prime Minister addressing a gathering in Kokrajhar through video conferencing from Guwahati after bad weather prevented him from travelling there.
“Due to bad weather, I was unable to come to Kokrajhar. I sincerely apologise to all of you. I had left Delhi to come and meet you, but I had to land in Guwahati and from here I am addressing you and seeing all of you,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the Bodoland region, which had faced decades of insurgency and unrest, was now witnessing a transformation marked by peace and development. “Today, Bodoland has embarked on the path of peace and development, and Assam is writing a new chapter of peace and progress,” he said.
Modi paid tributes to Bodo leaders such as Upendranath Brahma and Rupnath Brahma, and praised the Bodo community for preserving its cultural heritage. Recalling his recent visit to Guwahati during the Bagurumba dance festival, he said he was proud to witness the community’s efforts to protect its language and traditions. “Whether it is the spiritual tradition of Bathou or the festival of Bwisagu, these strengthen India’s cultural heritage,” he said.
Highlighting the Centre’s development push in the region, Modi said the projects launched during the programme include key infrastructure works, with more than Rs 1,100 crore earmarked for roads in the Bodoland Territorial Region under the Asom Mala initiative. “The BJP–NDA double-engine government is continuously working both to preserve Assam’s heritage and to accelerate development,” he said.
The Prime Minister also flagged off the Kamakhya–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express and the Guwahati–New Jalpaiguri Express, saying improved transport connectivity would help boost trade, tourism and agricultural markets. “Farmers will find it easier to take their produce to larger markets,” he said, congratulating the people of the region for the new projects.
Several initiatives announced during the event aim to strengthen connectivity in the Bodoland Territorial Region, including six major road projects and improvements to railway infrastructure. A railway workshop planned in the region is expected to turn the area into a logistics hub, while work is underway on a rail line linking the region to Bhutan and modernisation of several stations. Modi noted that premium trains such as the Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Express now halt at Kokrajhar, calling it a sign of improving connectivity.
The Prime Minister said the region had endured difficult times in the past when “the echoes of bombs and guns were heard in these hills,” but the situation had changed significantly. “Today these hills resonate with the beats of the Kham drum and the sweet tunes of the Sifung,” he said, referring to traditional Bodo musical instruments.
Modi also highlighted the impact of the Bodo Peace Accord, signed between the Centre, the Assam government and Bodo groups, which aimed to bring lasting peace and development to the region. According to him, the agreement brought major organisations together and paved the way for development initiatives in the area.
He said the government had fulfilled several commitments made under the accord, including granting associate official language status to the Bodo language and announcing a Rs 1,500-crore development package for Bodoland. A medical college is already operational in Kokrajhar while another is under construction in Tamulpur, he said, adding that new bridges and infrastructure projects were also being built.
Modi also said that nearly 10,000 youth in Assam who had once taken up arms had returned to the mainstream, calling it a major step toward peace in the region. “Those mothers whose sons have returned home are blessing us. Their children are now living peacefully with their families,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that the government had taken steps to ensure national recognition for the faith and traditions of the Bodo community. “Our government has ensured that the faith and traditions of the Bodo community receive respect at the national level. The traditional faith of the Bodo society, Bathou, has also been accorded significant recognition,” he said.
During his address, Modi also criticised the Congress, accusing it of neglecting the region and making false promises over the decades. He alleged that earlier governments had failed to address issues such as land rights for indigenous communities and infiltration in border districts like Dhubri and Goalpara. He praised the Assam government’s efforts to provide legal land documents to indigenous residents and remove encroachments.
“I urge you to give the strictest punishment to the Congress in the upcoming elections and send a clear message that there is no place for infiltrators in the country anymore,” Modi said, adding that the message from Assam would resonate across the nation.
The Prime Minister further expressed confidence that the pace of development in Assam would continue to accelerate. “With the blessings of the people of Assam, the resolve of a developed Assam will certainly be fulfilled,” he said while extending his congratulations to the people of the region for the newly launched development projects.
