Palin: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Monday said that his government’s priority is to uplift the rural economy of the state.
“If villages are developed, the constituency will develop. If a constituency develops, the district will develop. Then the state as well as the country will develop,” Khandu, who was addressing a public meeting here in the Kra Daadi district, said.
Assuring enough funds for execution of all the projects in a time bound manner, the chief minister insisted that quality of work should not be compromised at any cost.
“I assure you accelerated development but for any development to take place there should be a conducive atmosphere. A conducive atmosphere can be created only with the cooperation of the people,” he said, while appealing for public support and cooperation from the executing agencies and the district administration.
Delving on developmental works ushered by his government with support of the central government, Khandu said that the main hurdle – road connectivity – has been mostly resolved in the districts of Kra-Daadi and Kurung Kumey.
He expressed satisfaction over the progress of the trans-Arunachal highway stretch connecting both the districts to the rest of the state.
“The difference is being experienced. When earlier it used to take up to 8 hours to reach Itanagar from Palin, today it is a matter of about 4 to 5 hours,” he observed.
He blamed the lack of road connectivity and other basic facilities in the villages of the district in the past that resulted in migration of rural folks to places like Ziro and Itanagar.
“Things are changing rapidly. I am happy to note that people settled in the capital have started building homes in their native places and I am sure reverse migration is on the rise,” he said while adding that the government is promoting and handholding SHGs through the Rural Livelihood Mission.
Khandu further requested the departmental heads and officers to dovetail state and central government schemes at the planning stage itself so that villages are developed in a holistic manner.
Earlier on the day, the chief minister laid the foundations for a state-of-the-art district secretariat and various other projects being executed by the PWD, RWD and departments of power, PHE and WS and UD & Housing at the Kra-Daadi district headquarters.
He appreciated the layout plan of the new extension of the district headquarters prepared by the department of UD & Housing, which will be located 5 km away from the present township and spread over an area of 1.27 sq km.
The chief minister also handed over a sanction order worth Rs 8 crore to the Kra-Daadi deputy commissioner to mitigate the material damages caused by a cloudburst in Yangte, Tali and Pipsorang circles on September 28, 2022.
He further handed over a cheque worth Rs 2,47,42,800 as loan to 123 Self Help Groups (SHGs) of the district.
Khandu appreciated the bank-reach-out campaign by SBI and Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) for loan support during their mega credit camp organized alongside the public meeting.
The chief minister later flagged off an ambulance donated by NEEPCO for the district hospital.
At Chambang: The chief minister and his entourage later on the day traveled to Chambang from Palin, where Khandu laid the foundation stone for an Inspection Bungalow.
Attending a public meeting here, Khandu made several announcements, which include upgradation of the circle (established in 1982) to SDO/ADC administration, police outpost and a power sub-division.
Fulfilling one of his earlier assurances, he handed over the approval order copy to the district administration for establishment of a RWD sub-division at Chambang.
Observing that the road connecting Palin and Chambang as narrow for safe travel, Khandu assured to keep provisions in the upcoming state budget for its widening and realignment.
Incidentally, Khandu became the third chief minister to reach Chambang after former CMs Gegong Apang and Late Dorjee Khandu.
Among others, home minister Bamang Felix, MLAs Balo Raja, Jikke Tako, Chow Zignu Namchoom and Phurpa Tsering and other officials accompanied the chief minister on the day.
