Guwahati, Oct 9 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over the 70th plenary meeting of the North Eastern Council in Guwahati on Sunday.

In the presence of Chief Ministers of northeastern states, Shah said that there have been three major roadblocks to the development of this region for decades - violence by extremist groups, lack of rail, road and air connectivity and dearth of thrust on development of the Northeast by previous governments.

He said: "The present government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made many efforts in the last 8 years to bring peace to the Northeast, for enhancing connectivity and giving priority to the development of the region."

Union Home Minister further said that the whole of India considers the language, culture, cuisine and costumes of the Northeast as its heritage and the Union government is striving to preserve and promote the identity of this region.

Shah also urged the Chief Ministers to make full use of facilities at the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) situated in Meghalaya for flood control, irrigation, tourism, afforestation and agriculture work in the region.

It has been decided in the meeting that each state in North East will appoint a nodal officer for NESAC in their respective states for maximum and better utilisation of the facilities available at the North Eastern Space Application Centre.

An official statement said that the Central government believes that all-around development of the country is possible by taking all the languages of the country together and a provision has been made in the new National Education Policy that primary education should be done in the mother tongue only.

Shah said that the Centre is committed to making the northeast flood and drug-free within the next few years. He has issued an appeal to keep North Eastern states free from the use of single-use plastic for environmental protection.