PAYENG, 23 Nov: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday announced the creation of a new administrative circle, Lab-le, out of the existing Payeng circle in Upper Subansiri district – a matter which had been pending for several years.
In a public meeting at Kublong village in Taliha assembly constituency here, Khandu admitted that Payeng circle, which had been created in 1999, has seen slow pace of infrastructural development.
“This is my maiden visit to Payeng circle, and I admit it has not developed as it should have, being one of the oldest administrative circles of the state government. Maybe there was not a proper plan. Maybe political will at the highest level was not the strongest. But I promise that this will change,” he said.
Reacting to a previous speaker – Tara Payeng, the first Tagin MLA, who was instrumental in the creation of the circle headquarters – Khandu acknowledged his sentiments with regard to the underdevelopment of the region. He assured Payeng that the veteran would be a living witness to the transformation that the area will undergo in a few years from now.
“Every public representative’s heart beats for his or her constituency. Payengji, the first MLA of the region, has the right to resent the lack of development of the area he represented in the legislative assembly. May god give you good health and witness the change you always wanted,” the CM said.
Khandu gave assurance that his priority would be to provide all requisite infrastructure and human resource to both the circles – Payeng and the newly announced Lab-le.
Stating that Arunachal’s slow pace of development before 2014 was due to the then central government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the Northeast, he hailed the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the region’s unprecedented transformation.
“Narendra Modi’s outlook towards Northeast is completely different. There’s no policy, programme or budget prepared today without including the Northeast. The difference it has made can be seen,” Khandu said.
Mentioning that the assembly elections are just round the corner, Khandu sought support and cooperation from the people “to maintain the accelerated pace of development across the state.”
“We have a blueprint ready to take our beloved state on a fast-packed developmental trajectory once the impending elections are done and dusted,” he said.
Responding to several memorandums submitted by the locals, the CM assured that every demand, “which are genuine,” would be taken care of by the state government “in a phased manner.”
Meanwhile, Khandu, in the presence of the four legislators of Upper Subansiri – Tourism Minister Nakap Nalo, Nyato Dukam, Rode Bui and Tanya Soki – besides legislators Phurpa Tsering and Hayeng Mangfi, inaugurated several projects, including the infrastructure of the Govt Secondary School in Taliha; a stadium in Taliha; a road from Bogne to Lepajaring; an inspection bungalow in Kodak; a circle office building and a CO residential quarters in Taliha; augmentation of Taliha water supply and PMGSY roads from Noh bridge to Papa to Duchok; the Tajina bridge to Ramsing, and the Tajina bridge to Baring. (CM PR Cell)