Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday praised the transformational leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly in creating fast-track employment opportunities and fostering inclusive development in the Northeast.
Speaking at the Rozgar Mela held in Dimapur—Nagaland’s commercial hub—Rijiju addressed hundreds of youth who were among the 51,000 appointees across India receiving appointment letters in various government departments.
This edition of Rozgar Mela was notable not only for its size and significance but also for symbolizing what Rijiju called a “new era of recognition and inclusion” for the Northeast region. The event was graced by Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton, Rajya Sabha MP S. Phangnon Konyak, Advisor to Sericulture and Minority Affairs, Imkongmar, along with senior officials from the Railways, Labour Ministry, ESIC, Bank of Baroda, and security forces.
“The Rozgar Mela is not just about getting jobs—it is a celebration of the trust that the Prime Minister places in our youth,” Rijiju said. He recalled how, in the past, appointment letters would arrive quietly, without ceremony. “Now, the Prime Minister himself addresses appointees directly. This is unprecedented. It shows how much youth empowerment means to him.”
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He emphasized that this 6th Rozgar Mela saw over 51,000 youth being recruited into various departments including Railways, Postal Services, Banks, Education, Labour & Employment, and Home Affairs. The streamlined and regular Rozgar Melas mark a drastic shift from the earlier bureaucratic recruitment delays that often stretched across five to seven years.
“Prime Minister Modi has created a mechanism where sanctioned posts are filled promptly. Every 3-4 months, Rozgar Melas are held, and thousands are recruited. This used to be unimaginable,” he said.
In his impassioned address, Rijiju reminded the young appointees that no job is small or insignificant. “Whether you are in uniform or working in civil departments—Agriculture, Forests, Banking, or Railways—you are serving the nation. That mindset is important,” he said.
He also drew a sharp distinction between the concepts of ‘job’ and ‘service’. “In security forces, people say ‘I am in service,’ not ‘doing a job’. That sense of purpose must apply to all sectors. You are part of the machinery that will make India a developed country.”
A Call to Build Viksit Bharat by 2047
The Union Minister linked today’s employment efforts with a larger national vision—making India a developed country by 2047, marking 100 years of independence. “We have spent 77 years as a developing nation. We now have only 23 years left to become a developed country. It’s not the country that develops on its own—it is the people who must work together to make it happen,” he asserted.
Rijiju underlined the importance of hard work, discipline, and national pride as the foundations of that transformation. “If 51,000 of you begin today with the determination to work for the country, imagine the multiplier effect that will have,” he urged.
As a senior leader from Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju spoke passionately about the visible transformation in the Northeastern states, particularly in Nagaland.
“For decades, we dreamt of roads, connectivity, water supply, electricity. Today, thanks to PM Modi’s policies, those dreams have become reality. Every village in Nagaland, from Mon to Phek, from Kiphire to Dimapur, is now connected with quality roads. You have 4G mobile networks, water pipelines, and electricity,” he noted.
He pointed out how farmers in the region now benefit from schemes like PM-Kisan, women receive maternal support, and gas connections have reached rural kitchens. “What we did not receive in 75 years, we have started receiving now. That’s the truth, and we must be grateful to the Prime Minister for that,” he said.
Rijiju also addressed a critical aspect of development in the Northeast—peace and security. “No development can happen in an atmosphere of violence, fear, and strikes. Investors will only come when they see peace, stability, and opportunity,” he warned.
“We have to build a conducive atmosphere. If we want technology and capital from outside to come in, we must welcome them with peace and hospitality,” he added, drawing on the region’s past troubled history and the new momentum for peace and stability.
The Northeast as India’s Growth Engine
“India is now the fastest-growing major economy in the world. But India’s rise cannot be complete without the rise of the Northeast,” Rijiju emphasized. He envisioned Nagaland, Arunachal, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya,
“When India becomes Viksit Bharat, the Northeast must become a growth engine, not just a beneficiary. Our time has come,” he said.
As the program prepared for the Prime Minister’s national address and symbolic button-press to release appointment letters across India, Rijiju expressed his heartfelt thanks to the organizers, the state leadership, and the people of Nagaland.
“In the past, we were made to feel that we are on the margins. Today, the Prime Minister himself understands our problems, our culture, and our aspirations. That’s a historic shift,” he concluded.
Altogether 110 youths received appointment letters for various jobs.
