[Prafulla Kaman]
BILAT, Jan 19: The foundation stone for the airport in Hollongi, near Itanagar, will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month, informed Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
The chief minister said he has invited the prime minister to visit Arunachal Pradesh in February to lay the foundation stone for the airport.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebration of the government higher secondary school here in East Siang district on Friday, Pema said the central government is giving priority to road and air connectivity in Arunachal.
Highlighting the initiatives of the central government for rapid development of Arunachal and other northeastern states, he said Arunachal has been visited by union ministers more than 130 times during the last four years, “which did not happen during the last 24 years” prior to that.
According to him, visits by central ministers to the state during 1987-2013 were not more than 50 times.
“The pace of development in Arunachal has been accelerated during the five years of the Modi government, and the promises made have almost been fulfilled,” the CM said.
He also said his government is taking all necessary steps to reform the state’s education sector, as well to decentralize the government departments.
