As Arunachal prepares to bid adieu to 2021 and ring in a new year, it is a time for  introspection.

2021 has been a year filled with many challenges and few triumphs. The state faced the destructive second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which caused maximum number of deaths than in the first wave. The administration and frontline workers were tested to their max as the highly infectious pandemic raged on for the second year. The silver lining of this grim period was the upgradation of health facilities across the state. What couldn't be achieved in a decade plus years was achieved within a matter of two years. From ICUs to oxygen plants, if Arunachal's hospitals are an improved lot today, a lot of credit goes to this deadly pathogen.

2021 also saw the launch of the renovated NH415 which runs through the state capital. The Bank Tinali Underpass despite overshooting its timeline several times saw the light of day and has proved instrumental in easing the otherwise congested roads of Itanagar. Communication also received a huge boost with new airlines and train services beginning operations from the frontier state.

The languishing education sector also received the much needed attention with the state government  designating 2021 as the 'Year of Education' with a planned investment of Rs 1,000 crore for the sector.

In all this, the Arunachal government's focus on environmental matters has been a standout. In a significant initiative on climate change, the state cabinet in November adopted the ‘Pakke Declaration' aimed at “climate-resilient development” in Arunachal Pradesh.

The declaration envisages a multi-sectoral approach towards low emission through five broad themes, or the ‘Panch Dharas' — environment, forest and climate change, health and well being of all, sustainable and adaptive living, livelihoods and opportunities, and evidence generation and collaborative action.

Kenter Joya Riba

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