AGARTALA / GUWAHATI, Sep 8 (TIWN): Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb has attended 68th North East Council (NEC) meet chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah.Chief Minister and dignitaries of North Eastern States were present on this occasion. While addressing at the NEC meeting, Chief Minister Biplab Deb discussed about wide range of discussion related to development, economy, connectivity, tourism & many more.CM said, “We have started organic farming in 6000 hectre areas and our target is to take it into 10,000 target. We have started economic plan on organic fish base business”.CM urged NEC officials to visit the field and work at the ground level. “Please meet us at every 2 months and keep the communication frequent, just not annual. Let us work together. NEC should not be meant for only monitoring. Give us schemes and by following up we will give you updates”, CM told NEC officials. Deb has also extended his support at the NEC meet today to the Path-breaking resolution by of bringing J&K to mainstream by abolishing Article 370, 35A & passing the J&K (Reorganisation) Bill.

The 68th Plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) began with a two-day session from today in Guwahati. 

While addressing Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Earlier, the Northeast was known for terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, social tensions but now it is known for development, infrastructure, sports, connectivity and Look East Policy, the Home Minister pointed out”.

“The Centre will "not touch" Article 371 of the Indian Constitution that is applicable to the Northeast and not a single illegal immigrant would be allowed in the region”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

“After Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir, there were attempts to "misinform and misguide" the people of the Northeast that Article 371 would be scrapped by the Centre, the Home Minister said in his inaugural address at the 68th plenary session of the North East Council (NEC) here”.

"I have clarified in Parliament that this is not going to happen and I am saying it again today in the presence of eight chief ministers of the Northeast that both the Articles are different and the Centre will not touch Article 371," Shah said.

On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Home Minister said, "Questions are being raised about the NRC by different sections but today I just want to say this that the BJP-led government is committed to ensure that not a single illegal immigrant enters the region."

The NRC has also been completed within the stipulated time-frame, he added.

Shah's visit comes just days after the publication of the final NRC in the state on August 31.

Pointing out that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi there has been a "drastic decline" in terrorism and militant activities, Shah said, "I do not want to quote statistics but the entire country and the world knows that we have been able to control it."

There are still misguided people who indulge in armed activities but "our minds are open and hands stretched for those who want to lay down arms. For those who want to continue, the governments at the Centre and the state will follow a zero-tolerance policy," he said.

The miguided people who take up arms are "our own but are tools in the hands of vested foreign forces", he said.

He further pointed out that border dispute between the different states of the Northeast is a major issue which must end.

"If Indo-Bangla border dispute can be resolved, why not disputes among our states in the region? Rise above border disputes and support each other, so that the region can develop together," Shah added.

"Modiji has given top priority to the development of the Northeast and he was the first Prime Minister in 40 years to attend a NEC meeting at Shillong", he said.

"No Congress Prime Minister had attended a NEC meeting and though I do not want to make a political statement but among all the eight Chief Ministers present at the meeting today, none are from the Congress but all are North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) constituents", Shah said.