Government to strengthen law-and-order machinery: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday asserted that his government’s priority area is to strengthen the law and order apparatus in the State.

“To strengthen the police forces in the State, the Cabinet has sanctioned the immediate creation of 1,000 posts of civil police in different levels which will go a long way in effective maintenance of law and order,” Khandu told reporters at the Assembly premise here.

He added that the State Government last year allocated adequate fund to the police department for procurement of arms and other equipment. “The DGP during the Cabinet meeting yesterday informed that the procurement process has been completed and hopefully all the equipment will be made available by the end of this month,” Khandu disclosed.

In the education sector, another priority area of the new government, Khandu informed that the Cabinet has approved creation of only one director for School Education by merging the posts of directors of Elementary Education and Secondary Education. Referring to the growing unemployment problem in the State, the Chief Minister added that the State Government has already restructured the State’s Industrial Policy and would explore all possible potential areas including efforts to invite outside investment in private as well as public sectors for gainful employment.

When pointed out on the dilapidated roads in the State, especially in Itanagar, Khandu who also holds the PWD portfolio, disclosed that he already had meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on the issue and is planning to bring a change in the communication network particularly in the twin capital cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun.

“Sector roads and colony roads will be first developed,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that the work on ambitious Trans Arunachal Highway (TAH) is not going on in a satisfactory note in the State.

“I will take a review meeting of the departmental officers immediately after the assembly session and will issue warning to the contractors to speed up the works as per norms in time bound manner. I will also personally monitor the works,” he added. When his attention was drawn on the allegation by National People’s Party on the poor financial position of the State, Khandu claimed that the financial position of the State was healthy and sound.

“Immediately after the swearing in, I directed the Finance department to clear all the pending liabilities of the contractors who have completed their assigned job. There should be no doubt in the state’s financial position which is healthy,” he added.

On the boundary issue between Arunachal and Assam, the Chief Minister declined to comment on the issue saying that the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.

He, however, appealed to the people of both the neighbouring States residing in the inter-state border to maintain peace.

On allocation of Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio to Union Minister of State (Independent) Kiren Rijiju who hails from Arunachal, Khandu while expressing happiness disclosed that through there is no dearth of sporting talents in North East, but due to lack of modern infrastructure and guidance, the youths of the region are not in a position to excel.

“We have great hope on Rijiju that he will take the region to a new height in the sports sector,” the chief minister added.

Also read: Arunachal news