Khandu pleads Centre for resources to develop infrastructure

Itagar, Jan 4: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today pleaded New Delhi for resources to create new infrastructure for the administrative centres in place of NEFA day’s structures that have long outlived its utility.

Khandu, who along with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju called on Union Fince Minister Arun Jaitley at the tiol capital as a follow up of his meeting with Prime Minister rendra Modi during December last, expressed the impending need of a comprehensive package being prepared for addressing the critical infrastructure gaps, an official release informed.

Transmission lines, social infrastructure of health and education were also part of the package considering the fact that several new districts including two divisiol headquarters have been established.

Khandu while briefing the Fince Minister on the initiatives undertaken by his government to improve governce with an endeavour to put in place a mechanism for an accountable and efficient delivery of services to the citizens said that the people of the state have already seen a palpable change in the policies and approach of the Centre towards the North Eastern region.

“I am confident that with considerate approach and active support of the Union Government, people of Aruchal Pradesh will witness an era of rapid development this New Year,” Khandu said.

Reiterating his request, the chief minister sought Jaitley’s persol support in early commencement of construction work for the civil airport at Hollongi, construction of a Frontier Highway which is under active consideration under Ministry of Home Affairs, East-West Industrial Corridor in the foothills, water supply plan, enhancement of SDRF and NDRF grants to the state with special relaxation and change in modalities of expenditure.

Support was also sought for establishment of a cantonment based at Itagar as assured by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her last visit to the state capital and release of one time grant of Rs. 1060 crore for several crucial unfinished centrally sponsored schemes which have now been delinked such SPA, Product Infrastructure Development for Destitions and Circuits and JNNURM.

“We are grateful that the smart city project for Pasighat has been approved and Itagar also has been shortlisted under the scheme. However, we need to revisit the modalities of implementation and have a 90:10 sharing between Centre and the states as is the case for other centrally sponsored schemes” Khandu said.

Apprising that the mismatch in 14th Fince Commission recommendation and actual release is a major cause of concern for a resource constraint state like Aruchal Pradesh, Khandu prayed that the fund allocation as per the recommendation be kindly released at the earliest.

While stating that the state has limited resources and therefore uble to fund some very critical infrastructure, the chief minister informed that the state further does not have access to intertiol and multilateral funds from organisations such as World Bank and Asian Development Bank for reasons of geopolitics.

He therefore sought Jaitley’s benevolent indulgence for taking the development trajectory of Aruchal Pradesh at par with the rest of the states.

The Fince Minister assured all possible support to the state.

Khandu later also met expenditure secretary Ajay rayan Jha on the advice of Jaitley and discussed matters relating state finces, the release added.