RIGHTLY counting the resurgence of North-Eastern States in the last few years, Vice-President Mr. Venkaiah Naidu has touched a delicate subject of people’s ignorance and lack of appreciation of the wonderful gem in India’s necklace. The observation is on the coin, for, the general attitude by rest of India is still ruled by stereotyped image of the North-Eastern region despite the massive strides it has taken towards integration with the mainstream. Mr. Naidu’s appeal for an attitudinal change towards North-East has to cut across every spectrum of the larger Indian society. It is the need of the hour to send across a message of warmth to the N-E region hitherto left untouched by Government’s policies. It was only after the NDA took development of the region as top priority that the N-E has got a brilliant facelift through infrastructure, power and educational projects. It was always a matter of attitude that kept N-E deprived of deserving benefits. For years, a major section of rulers were indifferent to the region with a clear agenda of helping some divisive forces. Insurgency and bloodshed were result of the indifference that kept N-E out of the national loop. Its assimilation has now begun in the right earnest.

 

 

BENEFITS of vaccination programme and continuing vigil against the projected next wave are visible in the country as the weekly positivity rate has stayed below three per cent for last three months. Latest updated data with the Union Health Ministry shows that active cases in the country have declined to 2,30,971 which is the lowest in 208 days. The continued fall in active cases for almost seven months is a clear indicator that the pandemic is on the wane. Health experts have already suggested that the disease will soon turn into an endemic as India has done good to protect its population from fatal consequences of the virus. Despite the new variants getting detected in some regions and another wave hitting European countries, it can be safely said from the present numbers that India is in a far better position to tackle any health situation. Though many States have kept infrastructure ready should the third wave makes its presence felt, it can still be countered without hospitalistion if maximum number of people are vaccinated with both doses. Ramping up vaccine production and speeding up of inoculation remain the best shield for India.