GANGTOK, May 20:Chief Minister Pema Khandu while attending the first review meeting of India-China border infrastructure chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, appreciated the initiative of the Home Ministry. Terming it a historic move, Khandu appealed for making it an annual affair and appealed the Union Minister to hold the next meeting in Arunachal.

Asserting that Arunachal started very late in development sphere, Khandu called for continued support from the Centre as it is 100% dependent on it. He, however, said Arunachal is moving towards
self-reliance as it is coming up with policies to tap the state’s vast resources to convert it into capital.

In his presentation, Khandu asserted that connectivity in Arunachal as the biggest hurdle to development. He specifically raised concern over migration of people away from the border areas due to lack of basic public facilities and called for steps from the Centre to prevent it.

Lauding the initiative of the Centre to build frontier highway in the state connecting 11 districts bordering China, the CM said the highway would immensely benefit the border people as well benefit the defence personnel for movement along the borders.

The Chief Minister also informed the Union Minister on declining public perception on BRO’s work efficiency, which according to ground level BRO officials was attributed to decrease in funds availability with
the organisation. He therefore requested the Centre to empower the organisation financially so that works on border roads should not suffer.

Speaking on BADP scheme, the Chief Minister appreciated the Home Ministry for enhancing the fund from Rs 900 crore to Rs 1100 crore this year. He, however, said when these BADP funds are broken down among the states, Arunachal gets very less share. He also raised the inability of the state to pay 10% share for release of BADP funds. The Chief Minister therefore requested the Union Home Ministry to take up the matter in the next cabinet.

On relation shared with people of Arunachal with defence and paramilitary forces, the Chief Minister said the presence of these forces has contributed much to the development of the state. He said Arunachal is the only state in the North East where Hindi is spoken on large scale and attributed it to presence of forces in the state.

The Chief Minister specifically thanked the ITBP for having good relation with the Arunachalee people and conducting various programmes such as health camp in building trust among people towards the defence
forces. He thanked the Union Home Minister for shifting frontier ITBP headquarters from Shillong to Itanagar and sought for a battalion headquarters in the state capital.

On state government's support to central paramilitary forces, the Chief Minister informed the Union Home Minister that the state cabinet has decided to grant Rs 50 lakhs instead of earlier Rs 2 lakhs ex-gratia for those central forces jawans that are martyred while on duty in Arunachal. He also informed that for those jawans left physically disabled in action will be granted Rs 10 lakhs instead of earlier amount of Rs 1 lakh.

Sports Parliamentary Secretary Nyamar Karbak, Principal Secretary Satya Gopal and DGP Sandeep Goel accompanied the Chief Minister in his visit to Sikkim.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List