Kohima: After a "memorable and successful" three-day maiden visit to Nagaland, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (October 29) left for New Delhi, convincing the Nagas that the Centre was equally concerned with peace, prosperity and development in this border state.

Unlike his arrival by the bumpy mountainous road due to inclement weather, Vajpayee was today flown to Dimapur from Kohima helipad in a MI-17 helicopter for his onward journey to New Delhi as sunshine bathed the capital town since early morning after four days of wet weather.

Official sources said Governor Shyamal Datta, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and senior Government officials saw him off at the Assam Rifles helipad.

Announcing an economic package worth Rs 1,050 crore to accelerate socio-economic development in the state, the Prime Minister, speaking at various fora, called upon the people of the Northeast to be ''sensitive'' to needs and concerns of their neighbours to achieve permanent peace in the region and expressed the Centre's seriousness to continue with the political dialogue for finding an honourable settlement to the protracted Naga conflict.

PTI