ZIRO, Mar 18: “Priority of the centre for Arunachal can be seen from the decision of the 15th Finance Commission to start its state consultations beginning with Arunachal Pradesh, which will begin from April 2018”, said Chief Minister Pema Khandu, here on Sunday.
He was speaking during the ‘Swagat Samaroh’, joining event of 264 panchayat leaders en masse representing Ziro-Hapoli assembly constituency to the BJP party here at the Dree ground in Nago Putu.
Informing on the Prime Minister’s support for Arunachal’s ‘vision 2027’, the chief minister said the BJP party is different from family-based parties where interest of the country reigns supreme unlike the Congress where writ of a family runs large.
Speaking on the Budget 2018, the Chief Minister said the main focus of it is on ‘decentralization’. He said state government wants to empower the role of deputy commissioners through district-based societies created for health, education and agriculture sector.
He said these societies under DC will be delegated with roles and financial powers so that development matter important to district is decided at these level and not at Itanagar level.
He also said district-planning board will be assigned roles and empowered to have authority to recommend schemes to Itanagar. He said, “Sitting at Itanagar, we can never know the needs of the people living in far-flung areas.”
Informing on important announcements made in the budget, the CM informed that honorarium for Head Gaon Bura and Gaon Bura has been raised to Rs 2000 and Rs 1500 respectively. He also informed that state government will distribute TV sets for all gaon buras that were left out earlier. For contingency staff, the state government has raised their wages by Rs 1000 this year, including bonus of Rs 2000.
Speaking on development issues of Ziro, the chief minister assured to execute long pending demand for a water supply scheme in this financial year under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), which is 100% centrally funded to meet critical gap in infrastructure.
On demand for link roads in Ziro Valley, the Chief Minister assured that he will immediately sanction all projects recommended through district board. Also, he promised to sanction projects for completion of Dree ground infrastructure this year, which he inaugurated earlier. He further assured that state government will always be supportive in promoting tourism in Ziro valley and promised to take up on priority any such tourism projects.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, state BJP President Tapir Gao, Food and Civil Supply Parliamentary Secretary Tage Taki and Transport Parliamentary Secretary Likha Saaya also spoke on the occasion.
