SHILLONG, Aug 28 - Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today categorically ruled out any move on the part of the Centre to strip the North Eastern States of the special status granted to them under the Constitution. On the contrary, the NDA Government is paying more attention to these States for their development, he stated here during his one-day visit to the State.
�The Centre is giving more help to the North Eastern States. These States should also try to get more revenue on their own and focus on sectors like tourism,� the minister added.
Athawale also visited the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and assured that he would discuss with the Union Human Resource Development Minister, the issue of grant of Rs 2 crore to construct a new building for the incubation centre.
Athawale also assured that he would expedite release of funds amounting to Rs 350 crore earmarked for construction of a stadium in the State by the Ministry of Social Welfare for the National Games to be held in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Union minister said Article 370 of the Constitution gave a sense of alienation to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and that its abrogation would now remove such sentiments.
Asserting that there is �no imposition of emergency in Jammu and Kashmir,� he lashed out at the Congress for opposing the NDA Government�s move in Parliament to abrogate the Article. Athawale said that the Congress should support the Government when it takes the right decision. He, however, welcomed Rahul Gandhi�s remark that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
