Shillong, Jul 9:Chief Minister Pema Khandu today made a fervent appeal to the  North Eastern Council (NEC) and Ministry of DoNER  to give more emphasis on connectivity specially to the roads sector in Arunachal Pradesh as the state is strategically located having international borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan.

Addressing the 67the plenary session of the NEC here today, the chief minister said Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest density of road network in the region. On the same lines of Central Road Fund, NEC can explore the possibility of forming a separate fund which focuses on big road projects in the North Eastern Region, he added.

Pointing to the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) which is under NEC and being administered and monitored by Ministry of DoNER, Khandu said  under the scheme, 10 orphan roads in Arunachal Pradesh bordering with Assam have been identified.

However, while prioritizing the schemes, there is no representation of the State Government, he regretted. He requested NEC  and Ministry of DoNER to revisit the guidelines to include the representation of the State Governments while prioritizing the schemes. Further, the funding under NERSDS must be increased as the amount of Rs. 1000 crores is very meagre for taking up such a big project, he said.

Khandu further said, “Arunachal Pradesh is one of the youngest States of the Indian Union and yet the largest in terms of area in the region. Due to historical neglect, our State has lagged behind on most of the socio-economic indicators as compared to the rest of India and even within the North Eastern Region.”

Stating  that with the starting of 42-seater ATR aircraft service from Kolkata to Pasighat via Guwahati by Alliance Airlines. Arunachal  has entered a new era in civil aviation, the chief minister said the second airport at Tezu is also ready for operation and air service to this eastern township is also expected soon..

“But our dream of having an airport in the State capital is yet to come true and the people of the State are eagerly waiting for this project to materialize. My government has finalized the site of the greenfield airport that is Hollongi and has reduced the cost of land acquisition and rehabilitation drastically by one third of the original cost. I would urge the Ministry of Development of North eastern region (DoNER) to provide funds for Green Field Airport at Hollongi over and above its normative allocation of Rs. 195.90 crore in the line with the  Tezu Airport funded by North eastern Council,” he told the meeting.

 On the Trans Arunachal Highway, the CM said the progress  is sluggish due to constraints of tough weather and massive landslides in the region. However once the project is completed, it will serve as the life line of the State and facilitate movement of traffic from one corner of the State to the other without depending on connecting roads of Assam, he informed.

On development of agriculture and its allied sectors,  Khandu said since most of the people live in rural areas and are dependent primarily on agriculture for their livelihood, the government  last year conducted a Dream Change Arunachal Conclave 2027 and this year organized State Conclave on Prospective Planning for Resurgent Agriculture. Both the conclaves witnessed more than 1000 visitors with speakers ranging from Government of India/State Governments, scientific institutions, academicians, private entrepreneurs and progressive farmers. Lot of important suggestions emerged from the conclaves which have been introduced in the state Budget 2018-19.

 

Arunachal Pradesh has about 25 lakh hectares of cultivable land out of which7 lakh hectares are fit for wet rice cultivation through flood irrigation and 18 lakh hectares through micro irrigation. As of now only 3.5 lakh hectares are under cultivation of which 52,000 hectares are under irrigation coverage. The CM said he has plans to bring 7 lakh hectares of more land under micro irrigation in near future with an estimated cost of Rs 17,712 crore under PMKSY. In this regard, he solicited all possible help from the Ministry of DoNER and North

Another sector which has huge potential in the state is the Hydro Power Sector with a potential to generate 50,000 MW of electricity which has not been tapped judiciously. The State government has now decided to firmly unleash the huge hydro potential. Out of 151 hydro power projects leased, 15have already been terminated. Out of the remaining 136 alive projects, 38 projects are below 25 MW and rest 98 projects are in Mega Category, the CM said and added that his govt is ready to hand over these projects to PSUs or Govt. undertakings wherever feasible as per mutual terms and conditions.

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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

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