ITANAGAR, Aug 28: The completion of the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road, which was approved by the Centre 10 years back, is running behind schedule due to fund constraints and delay in obtaining forest clearance, the state assembly was informed on Tuesday.
The road, being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and that leads to Tawang, is the lifeline for East Kameng, West Kameng, and Tawang districts.
Responding to a question raised by senior BJP MLA Japu Deru during Question Hour, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said that, as per information received from the BRO authorities, the main reason for the delay in completion of the road was meagre fund allocation by the Centre and the delay in receiving forest clearance for a particular stretch of the road.
“The forest clearance for this stretch has been received in 2016, and finalization of land acquisition at many stretches, including Dirang bypass and Jung town, has been made. The road is now planned to be completed by December 2021, for which Rs 1,300 crore is required,” Mein said, quoting the BRO report.
The amount is for land acquisition and construction of major bridges along the road, but the cost for construction of the Sela tunnel was not included in it, he said.
Functioning of health centres: Responding to a question from Wanglin Lowangdong during Question Hour, Health Minister Alo Libang informed the House that there are a total of 63 community health centres, 143 public health centres, and 312 sub-centres in the state. Out of the 312 sub-centres, 275 are non-functional, he said.
Infrastructure development of all the health centres are being taken up in a phased manner, the minister said, adding that posting of newly-recruited 100 GDMOs (allopathy) and three DGMO (ayurveda) has been approved by the government and need-based posting has been carried out.
Responding supplementary questions from PD Sona, Tanga Byaling, and Tage Taki, the minister while admitting shortage of doctors in the state, said the government has taken steps for infrastructure development of all health centres and posting of required doctors. The government is also going to rationalize the posting of doctors on the basis of population, he said.
Status of GHSS Maro: Responding a question from Paknga Bage, Education Minister Honchun Ngandam informed that the government has sanctioned the posts of principal and subject teachers against the government higher secondary school in Maro, which was upgraded in 2015. The teachers will be posted after recruitment through the APPSC, he said.
When PD Sona and Japu Deru pointed out the shortage of teachers in the schools in remote areas, the minister said more than 1000 teachers’ posts have already been created and teachers’ posting in remote areas would be made through DPC and recruitment through the APPSC.
Mebo WRSD: There are 12 regular staffers and 24 casual staffers under the Mebo water resources subdivision (WRSD), and 26 schemes were sanctioned during 2015-’18, with an estimated cost of Rs 863.49 lakhs, the minister concerned informed.
Expenditure incurred till the end of 2017-’18 is Rs 413.40 lakhs, he added.
Polytechnic college: When Tirong Aboh wanted to know as to when the polytechnic college at Kheti village in Tirap district would start functioning, Education Minister Honchun Ngandam informed the House that the director of higher and technical education tried to start the academic session from the year 2018-’19 by admitting students through the APJEE (diploma), but no student opted for the polytechnic. However, the minister said, the college would start functioning after the admission of students. (With inputs from PTI)
Quotes of the day
1. Fund constraint ka karan se deri hua, BRO bola hain: DCM Chowna Mein regarding delay in completion of Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road.
2. Arunachal suffers due to lack of health care services: Wanglin Lowangdong
3. Mera constituency mein bilkul nahi hain: Tanga Byaling, regarding shortage of doctors in health centres cross the state.
4. Doctors hamara Arunachal meh bohut komi hain: Alo Libang
5. Inauguration ke liye students chahiye: Education Minister Honchun Ngandam in response to a question regarding functioning of Government Polytechnic College at Kheti village in Tirap.
