Arunachal governor urges Centre for fund to develop border villages

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra on Thursday requested the Centre to provide financial help to the state for developing villages along the border with China.

Participating in Governors' Conference in New Delhi, Mishra said the state government, in the current financial year, allocated Rs 30 crore for three model villages to set up basic amenities, livelihood generation and improved connectivity on the Indo-China border.

“For viable development of the border villages with roads, drinking water, health and education infrastructure, hydel projects and other infrastructure, the Centre should help the state financially,” he said.

To reinforce the efforts of the Arunachal Pradesh government’s initiatives for economic activities, Mishra urged the Centre to support the state in opening border trade and a border haat with Myanmar through Pangsau Pass in Changlang district, according to an official statement issued here.

Mishra also requested the central government to explore the possibilities of having Sister City Agreements between the cities of Arunachal Pradesh and those of South-eastern Asian countries.

He added that the state government is working in a spirited manner for sustainable and holistic development of the state.

The governor also called for approval of the state government’s proposal to construct 22 strategically important border roads of 1547.8 km length, 34 roads of 1024 km length for ITBP and suspension bridges in forward locations to facilitate patrolling by troops.

The governor, who celebrated this year’s Diwali with soldiers at Walong Advance Landing Ground, requested the Centre for a new ALG at Dirang in West Kameng district and development of an abandoned ALG at Anini in Dibang Valley for defence as well as civil operations, the statement said.

The governor expressed gratitude to the Centre for its decision of amending the list of Scheduled Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh to include indigenous nomenclatures - Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho - in place of 'Other Naga Tribes’.

He said the step would help the youths of these tribes to understand that the path of insurgency is futile.

Presided over by President Ram Nath Kovind, the Governors' Conference was attended by Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.