Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, on Tuesday hailed the Narendra Modi-led government’s 12-year tenure as a period of unprecedented development, public welfare and inclusive growth, while highlighting significant gains made by Nagaland and the Northeast under various central initiatives.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters in Kohima as part of the nationwide celebration of “12 Years of Trust, Development and Public Welfare,” Margherita said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had completed over 4,400 days in office, and the occasion was being observed across the country by party workers, social organisations and citizens.

He stated that the Modi government had remained committed to public service and the welfare of the poor, claiming that nearly 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty during the past 12 years. Referring to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, he said more than 81 crore beneficiaries were receiving free food grains and noted that during his interactions in Nagaland, he learned that the rice distributed under the scheme was popularly known as “Modi rice.”

Highlighting welfare achievements, Margherita said four crore pucca houses had been constructed under various housing schemes, nearly 16 crore tap water connections provided through the Jal Jeevan Mission, and around 11 crore LPG connections distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. He further informed that 57 crore Mudra loans had been sanctioned to small entrepreneurs and marginalised sections, while 74 lakh loans had been extended to street vendors.

On the economic front, he said India had emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy, recording growth of over seven percent, with a GDP of around Rs 345 lakh crore and foreign exchange reserves exceeding Rs 67 lakh crore. Infrastructure expenditure, he added, had increased six-fold to Rs 12.2 lakh crore compared to the UPA period.

Margherita said India’s national highway network had expanded from about 91,000 kilometres in 2014 to 1.46 lakh kilometres, while the pace of highway construction had increased significantly. The number of airports in the country, he noted, had more than doubled from 74 to 164.

He further stated that metro rail connectivity had grown from about 248 kilometres before 2014 to 1,155 kilometres at present. He also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s startup ecosystem, which now includes more than 2.2 lakh startups providing employment opportunities to youth.

On internal security, the Minister claimed that the vision of a Naxal-free India was gradually becoming a reality. He also highlighted achievements in sports development, including the establishment of 1,445 Khelo India Centres and 34 Khelo India State Centres across the country.

In the defence sector, Margherita said India had transformed into a defence exporter, with exports reaching Rs 38,400 crore. Defence production, he added, had increased from Rs 46,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

The Minister also highlighted environmental achievements, stating that India was home to 70 percent of the world’s tiger population and all five species of big cats found in the country. He further said the government had worked to move away from colonial-era systems by renaming institutions and replacing outdated laws, citing the replacement of the Indian Penal Code with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Turning to Nagaland and the Northeast, Margherita said the region had witnessed unprecedented progress in connectivity, healthcare, education, sports, culture and tourism under the Modi government. Reiterating Prime Minister Modi’s vision of the Northeast as “Ashtalakshmi,” he described the region as a key growth engine of modern India.

Highlighting financial support to Nagaland, he said tax devolution to the state had increased from Rs 5,405 crore during 2004–2014 to Rs 59,327 crore during the Modi government’s tenure, representing nearly a 1,000 percent rise. Grants-in-aid, he added, had increased from Rs 31,300 crore to Rs 79,970 crore during the same period.

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Margherita also highlighted central assistance under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), under which 17 road projects worth Rs 900 crore and 146 infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,489 crore had been approved for Nagaland. He further stated that over Rs 10,037 crore had been allocated to the state under the UNNATI initiative over the past decade.

Earlier in the day, the Minister participated in a tree plantation and cleanliness drive at Kisama Heritage Village under the “Prakriti Parv” initiative. He also visited the Handloom Marketing Complex at Kisama, which he said had been supported by the Ministry of Textiles to provide a platform for artisans and weavers to showcase, market and sell their products while engaging in business-to-business activities.

He said the Centre was promoting handloom and handicraft products through digital platforms connecting artisans with buyers across the world. Referring to Bharat Tex, a major textile exhibition, he noted that Prime Minister Modi had interacted with artisans from Nagaland who showcased traditional weaving techniques.

Margherita said the Centre remained committed to promoting Nagaland’s textiles, handicrafts, cuisine, culture and tourism. He observed that the Hornbill Festival had evolved from a state-level event into a national attraction and noted that Kohima had been selected under the Smart City Mission.

Speaking on the implementation of welfare schemes in Nagaland, he said more than 4.13 lakh Jan Dhan accounts had been opened in the state, enabling direct benefit transfers without intermediaries. He added that over 7.7 lakh Ayushman Bharat cards had been issued and 1.22 lakh LPG connections provided under the Ujjwala Yojana.

He further informed that over 3.42 lakh rural households had received tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission, around 14 lakh beneficiaries were receiving free food grains under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, and 1.88 lakh farmers were benefiting from PM-KISAN. He also said Rs 2.7 lakh crore had been disbursed under the Mudra Yojana and 22 Jan Aushadhi Kendras established in the state.

Stating that Nagaland possessed immense potential in tourism, biodiversity, culture and natural resources, Margherita said the Centre would continue supporting the state’s efforts towards industrialisation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

He concluded by expressing gratitude to the people of Nagaland for their continued support and assured that the Modi government, BJP and NDA would continue working for the overall development of Nagaland and the Northeast region.