Guwahati/Shillong, Nov 4 : Assam and Meghalaya seem to be on a developmental spree. Recently, President Pratibha Patil was on a five-day visit to Assam and Meghalaya and inaugurated several infrastructural and developmental projects in the region.

In her first trip to the North East, the President announced many important educational and social projects for the two states.

In the first leg of her visit Patil was in Assam, where she laid the foundation stone of the Tezpur Medical College. This medical college comes months after the inauguration of the Jorhat Medical College by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

While emphasizing on infrastructural development, Patil said, “Making common health care affordable should be the future direction of the medical world, especially in north-east India.”

“Medical institutions, doctors and paramedics contribute to improving health parameters of the society for healthy citizens make a healthy nation,” said Patil.

“The states of the north-east with their potential projects would definitely benefit the health of citizen who can boost the economic growth in this region,” the President added.

The residents of the state are also happy. Jitendra Baruah, a local resident of Assam, said, "If they open the medical college here in Tezpur it will be beneficial for all. It will benefit the doctors by providing them employment and they won''t have to go out of Assam. Thousands of local students can study here and need not go out. Also they can practice in their own hometown.”

In the second phase of her visit, the President was in ''Scotland of East'', Meghalaya. She inaugurated the Baljek airport at Tura in West Garo Hills District, something that the region was looking for years.

Addressing the students in Meghalaya, the President appealed them to work for the development of a peaceful and prosperous North East.

Bomb blasts, kidnapping for ransom, outright ransom and other forms of violence surfaces in society when there is inequality and lack of development.

The recent developmental initiative of the Central Government is aimed at bringing parity between the north-east region and the rest of the country. (ANI)