Itanagar: The Sherdukpen Employees Welfare Association (SEWA) on Friday extended a warm welcome to former Speaker of state legislative assembly and incumbent member of the North Eastern Council (NEC) Tenzing Norbu Thongdok upon his arrival at the Hollongi Airport near here.
Thongdok was appointed as the member of the NEC by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) on February 14.
The NEC, established in 1971 by an Act of Parliament, serves as the central agency for the economic and social development of the region comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
Its formation has initiated a focused and planned approach towards accelerating the region’s development.
Over the past fifty years, the NEC has played a pivotal role in initiating fresh economic initiatives aimed at overcoming the fundamental obstacles hindering the region’s progress, thereby instilling a sense of optimism in this region rich with potential.
Led by vice-president R Mosobi, the SEWA delegation, including special secretary to speaker P N Thongchi and executive member Rinchin Thungon, congratulated Thongdok on his recent appointment.
The SEWA members expressed pride in Thongdok’s achievements and contributions to the community and the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Members of the Sherdukpen Capital Youth Association also joined the reception to offer their support and best wishes.
Additionally, the SEWA reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with Thongdok to promote the welfare and development of the Sherdukpen community and the region at large.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has also congratulated Thongdok on his nomination as a member to the NEC.
“Heartiest congratulations to former Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Shri Tenzing Norbu Thongdok ji on his nomination as a Member to the North Eastern Council. I’m sure his experience and vision will go a long way in accelerating the pace of development in the region in a sustainable manner. Best wishes!” the chief minister said on X, formerly Twitter.
An engineering graduate, Thondok (73), represented the Kalaktang (ST) Assembly Constituency in West Kameng district from 2009 to 2019. Prior to his political career, he worked as the chief engineer of PWD and as the power secretary.
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