Union Minister of Communications and DoNER, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, who is scheduled to inaugurate key developmental projects in Nagaland on Thursday, visited the Kohima War Cemetery this afternoon along with Nagaland’s Minister for Tourism and Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along, and other officials. The Union Minister was received by the Assam Rifles, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and an inspection of the memorial site.

Interacting with the media, Jyotiraditya M Scindia expressed profound respect for the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the nation’s peace, freedom, and democratic values.

“Today my head is bowed in respect to all these valiant sons of the soil who have laid down their lives for us,” Scindia said, paying heartfelt homage to the martyrs whose dedication and courage continue to uphold the nation’s security and sovereignty.

In his message to the Naga people, Scindia expressed that his relationship with the people of Nagaland is one he holds close to his heart.

Remembering the battle fought in 1944, in the months of April to June, Scindia highlighted that there were forces that fought as part of this battle who were trained in Gwalior in 1944. He said that his grandfather at that time was instrumental in playing that role.

His relationship with Nagaland, 17 Naga tribes, with Kohima, with Dimapur, he said is one that he feel from the heart and so is the relationship with the rest of the Northeast.

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“I bring with me the hopes, aspirations, and commitment of the Government of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is committed to the development of Nagaland, who’s committed to the progress of all our people, who’s committed, as he terms it, the Ashtalakshmi of India, which is our eight states of the Northeast, to be the first frontier of India towards the world. His policy of Act East, Act First, and Act Fast has yielded very, very rich dividends over the last 11 years,” he said.

Scindia also added that eight states of Northeast are growing between 10 to 12 percent compounded annual growth rate over a decade is a testament to that. He also mentioned that infrastructure whether it’s the area of airports, highways, ports, telecom, across the border, is growing by leaps and bounds.

“We have a very, very young population here, a population that is aspirational, a population that has all the inherent potential to not only lead Nagaland forward, but to be able to lead India and contribute to India in India’s growth going forward,” Scindia remarked.

Expressing his privilege, Scindia said that Nagaland through the Prime Minister’s blessings and himself look forward to interactions and all the projects that they are unveiling on December 5.

Scindia said that 15 projects have been brought, five projects that have been inaugurated, worth close to about Rs 250 crores, and about another 10 projects that we are laying the foundation stone for, another 422 crores, almost 650 crores worth of projects on December 5, and many more in the pipeline.

He said that he is working with Chief Minister, Dr Rio who had a long history and a long career and a long association with his family as well.