Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra on Wednesday suggested the state government and armed forces to carry out good maintenance of border roads for the benefit of the local population as well as the security forces.
Addressing a high level security meeting at Raj Bhawan here, Mishra also suggested taking up strategic roads in Arunachal Pradesh, which he said, will be beneficial for the economic growth of the people and protection of vulnerable border areas.
Mishra further called for concerted efforts by the state government and armed forces to remove “all bottlenecks in leasing out or acquiring of land for defence purposes or roads construction”.
Taking part in the discussion, chief minister Pema Khandu informed that several roads and other projects have been recommended under Border Area Development Projects, which will be beneficial to the people and at the same time to the armed forces for securing the borders.
He also informed that local needs of the armed forces in terms of agricultural produce will be catered through Agricultural Marketing Boards of the state government.
Earlier, Brigadier General of Staff (Operations) of Eastern Command Brig K S Dhadwal briefed the governor and chief minister about the security scenario and challenges to the state.
The BGS also shared the initiatives of the Indian Army in boosting the state tourism and creating bonhomie with the local people of Arunachal Pradesh.
Among others, the meeting was participated by chief secretary Dharmendra, director general of police Satish Golcha, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Army Command Lt General R P Kalita, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 3 Corps Lt General R C Tiwari and commissioner to chief minister Sonam Chombay.
Stress on strengthening India-Bhutan Relations
Governor Mishra has emphasized on strengthening the age-old relationship between the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.
“Both Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan have strong traditional cultural links. There are great similarities in their social and cultural heritage,” Mishra said while interacting with Jigme Thinyle Namgyal, the Consul General of Bhutan in Guwahati who called on the governor at Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday.
Mishra during the meeting suggested ‘people to people’ contact and interactions through cultural exchange programmes and exchange of common literature.
He called for exploring avenues in tourism, spiritual aspects and horticulture for socio-economic progress of the people of both the countries.
The governor, who is also the chief rector of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) and president of the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) Society suggested students and faculty exchange programmes between the Bhutanese Universities and RGU and NERIST.
Namgyal on the day also called on chief minister Pema Khandu at his civil secretariat office here.
Sharing information of the meeting on twitter Khandu said: “We need to learn a lot from Bhutan and replicate them in our collective pursuits to achieve multiple milestones of development without compromise with our rich cultural legacy.”
“Glad to have a courtesy meeting with Consul General of Bhutan in Guwahati, HE Shri Jigme Thinlye Namgyal Ji. Stressed the need to expand trade, cultural, tourism & R&D collaboration between Bhutan & Arunachal along with a robust people to people contact programme,” the chief minister earlier said in his tweet.
The Bhutanese Consul General also met chief secretary Dharmendra later on the day during which they discussed matters related to trade and culture between Arunachal and Bhutan.
To further strengthen the bond, Namgyal and Dharmendra shared the common vision of promoting trade, culture, education and tourism between Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.
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