The<b> </b>Government has said that over one crore 18 lakh domestic and more than one lakh foreign tourists visited the North Eastern States last year. Minister for Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy said this in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 27<sup>th</sup> March 2023, Monday.<br />'' <br />''He said, Centre has launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN in 2016 to enhance regional air connectivity across the country from unserved and underserved airports and making air travel affordable to the masses. Mr Reddy said, airports in the North Eastern Region at Rupsi, Tezu, Tezpur, Pasighat, Jorhat, Lilabari, Shillong, Pakyong, Itanagar and Dimapur involving 64 routes have been operationalised under the scheme.<br />'' <br />''He said, Road Transport and Highways Ministry has taken up and sanctioned national highway development works of over five thousand kilometers in the North Eastern region. The Minister said, these infrastructure projects are providing essential and critical connectivity for a barrier free environment for growth of tourism in the North East.<br />''<span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />