SDC earmarks Rs 986 cr for 32 Arunchal departments

From our correspondent

Itagar,  Aug 26: A whopping Rs 986 Cr. has been pegged in for 32 state government departments for developmental activities by the State Development Council (SDC) during its first phase of meetings that started since August 18 last and concluded here Tuesday evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister bam Tuki.

The decision to switch over from the erstwhile State Planning Board (SPB) to State Development Council (SDC), marking structural changes in the state planning process, has begun showing impressive results with many departments witnessing quantum leap in their budget estimates for 2015-16 from the previous years.       

Visibly happy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Commissioners, Secretaries and Head of Departments expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the first phase of the SDC meetings and exuded confidence that the 2nd phase would be equally fruitful.  “Replacement of AOP system by State Annual Development Agenda is another important step by the Government making space for the departments to work efficiently to realise the desired goal of overall development,” quipped a senior bureaucrat.

Apparently, unlike the State Planning Board, the SDC provided ample time and space to the departments to place and advocate their proposals by increasing the number of days for the meetings. The departments made presentations before the council with brief description of proposed schemes and projects while informing about the desired target in both physical and fincial terms.

The SDC had initially directed the departments to formulate broad guidelines for implementation of various schemes incorporating monitoring mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability.

Skill development and employment generation got the major stake during the week long SDC meeting as maximum schemes and programmes were targeted to provide self employment to unemployed youths.

While winding up the 1st phase of SDC meet, the Chief Minister appealed all the departments to put all out effort to make the state and central government programmes cent percent successful with fruits of development reaching every nook and corner of  Aruchal Pradesh. He called for concerted and dedicated workforce of the state machinery to embark on a new and fresh development journey.

The first phase SDC meetings chalked out the one-year road map for departments having no or very small component of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). The second phase, scheduled to be held soon, would cover departments that have a major share of CSS and programmes.