Itanagar: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said that Arunachal Pradesh is an important part of India and a major stakeholder in India’s Act East Policy.
Addressing the special session of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (APLA) here, Murmu said though the state and the North Eastern region had been long deprived of the benefits of economic development due to lack of road, rail and air connectivity, the Union Government at present is giving top priority to the same.
“I am happy to note that the sun of development is shining in Arunachal Pradesh. With rich natural resources and quality human resources, the state has full potential to become an attractive investment destination and a hub of trade and business,” she said.
Addressing the members of the legislative assembly the President said a vibrant system of self-governance and grassroots democracy has existed on the land of Arunachal Pradesh for centuries.
“The people of this state have actively participated in the modern democratic process as well, which reflect their political consciousness and faith in democracy. The citizens expect from people’s representatives that they would always strive for the development of the state and public welfare. As the apex policymakers of the state, the members of assembly have a vital role in the development of the state,” Murmu said.
The president said that discipline and decorum are the hallmarks of the parliamentary system. We must ensure that the content and quality of the debate is of the highest standard.
At the same time, we need to build a consensus on the issues of development and public welfare, she said.
Murmu also lauded the APLA for maintaining the highest standards of parliamentary democracy. She appreciated the present and former members of the assembly for maintaining the utmost regard for a healthy democracy.
The president further appreciated APLA for implementing the ‘e-Vidhan’ – paperless digital journey – under the ‘Digital India’ programme.
She noted that the State Government has declared the year 2022 as the ‘Year of E-Governance’ and has launched several E-Governance projects.
She expressed confidence that these projects would not only help in administrative reforms but also contribute in making life easier for the common citizen.
The president said that in today’s era, environment pollution and climate change are critical issues.
“We have to find solutions to these concerns quickly. These matters become more important for a geographically sensitive state like Arunachal Pradesh,” she said, while appreciating the policymakers of the state for taking care of the issue.
The president said Arunachal Pradesh has resolved to show commitment to climate change through the Pakke Declaration. She expressed hope that other states would also move towards adopting this model to tackle the issue of climate change.
The president was also happy to note that the access to the Assembly Library is available free of cost to the students of schools, colleges and universities.
Highlighting the ‘Know Your Assembly’ initiative of the APLA which invites students to acquaint them with the legislative functioning, Murmu expressed confidence that the younger generation would take advantage of the facility and contribute to the progress of the country and the state.
The president further said that for the overall and inclusive development of our country, there should be more participation of women in every field of work.
The participation of women should increase in all the state assemblies including the APLA as well as in other institutions of people’s representation, she said.
Murmu said to ensure that the people of the North East region keep moving forward on the path of development without being cut off from their roots, one needs to lay emphasis on preserving and promoting the tradition, culture and values of the region.
“As the people’s representative of Arunachal Pradesh, members of this Assembly have a critical role to play in promoting social change while preserving the richness of the state’s cultural values and traditions,” she said.
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