ITANAGAR, Apr 2: The state BJP on Tuesday released its vision document, promising to focus on health, education, water, electricity, connectivity, infrastructure and security, “so that every individual of Arunachal Pradesh is able to achieve and unlock their potential.”
Although the document was not issued by the party’s leadership, copies of it were made available to the press by the chief minister’s office.
“More than three decades of statehood were lost decades for Arunachal Pradesh under the Congress government,” the party alleged, and claimed that during the last 27 months the BJP government in the state took path-breaking steps “to correct this historic wrong inflicted on the people of Arunachal Pradesh.”
The BJP government worked for all-inclusive growth, with the fruits of development reaching the last man in the remotest part of the state, the party said in the document, adding that the state witnessed faster change, greater transparency and unprecedented development in all sectors.
Claiming that it would make Arunachal “the happiest state,” the BJP promised to provide best health facilities to every citizen in the state.
“All sub-centres and PHCs will be transformed into health and wellness centres with adequate manpower and modern infrastructure,” it said. It also promised to promote indigenous and folk medicines and make health and hygiene mandatory part of school curricula.
In the education sector, the party promised to completely overhaul the system and provide quality education in the state.
It said besides providing free uniforms, school bags, shoes and textbooks to students of Classes 9 to 12, it seeks to establish two model schools in each district. The party also said it proposes to make Jote and Tezu “higher education hubs.”
The document said regularization of contractual teachers under the ISSE (including vocational teachers) has already started and would be completed in a phased manner.
In the higher education sector, the party said, “Students who pursue a degree/diploma course after finishing Class 12 from any school in Arunachal Pradesh will be given bank loans with the government standing as a guarantor. Students will not have to furnish any collateral, and the scheme will be universal in nature and the loan will cover both tuition fees and living expenses.”
The BJP also promised to assist UPSC and APPSC aspirants by providing monthly financial stipends, besides books to those who clear the preliminary examinations.
The party also promised to provide safe and potable water to every household by 2022, prepare a comprehensive plan to fight the menace of floods each year, and make Arunachal an “energy self-reliant state.”
Besides commissioning the 600 mw Kameng hydroelectric project, the party said, steps would be taken to make the 2000 mw Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project operational, and focus would be given to small hydel projects.
It further promised to set up streetlights in all district headquarters.
Regarding connectivity and infrastructure, the party promised to build roads connecting all the villages of the state.
It said the Trans-Arunachal Highway would connect all the district headquarters, while the East-West Industrial Corridor road project would connect all the “foothill industry potential areas,” adding that the four-laning of the highway from Hollongi to Banderdewa would also be completed.
The party also promised to make the greenfield airport in Hollongi operational, increase the frequency of flights from Pasighat and Tezu, and expand the existing railway network in the state, besides developing inland waterways “on suitable river systems” to boost tourism and industry.
It said it would make mobile phone network available in all areas of the state, and provide internet connectivity upto the panchayat level.
“The smart cities of Itanagar and Pasighat shall be accomplished and measures will be taken to make them among the top 10 cleanest cities of India,” the document added.
The party promised housing for all by 2022, banking network for every citizen by 2020, and social security for the elderly, the widows, the differently-abled and the unorganized labourers. It also said it would promote horticulture, floriculture, dairy farming, pisciculture, sericulture, beekeeping, poultry, piggery, etc.
Regarding women’s development, the party said it would continue the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign and increase the deposit under the Dulari Kanya Yojna from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. It said it would ensure strict implementation of laws against rape, indecent assault against women, and acts of domestic violence.
It also promised to introduce new startups and a ‘Skill Arunachal’ policy to turn the state’s youths into “job givers.”
On the tourism sector, the party promised to create world-class infrastructure and facilities in select destinations and take steps to include Thembang fortified village and the Apatani cultural landscape as part of the world heritage sites.
It further promised to build sports infrastructure in every district, apart from “upgrading the infrastructure of both the sports academies of our state.”
It also promised, inter alia, to prepare a policy to promote the media in the state, make the Rajya Sainik Board functional, promote mining industries to generate employment and revenue, digitalize the archives for archeological and museum records, build a world-class centre for the indigenous tribes for preservation of their traditions, modernize the police force, make Arunachal a drug-free state, repeal old and obsolete laws, and take strict action against individuals and organisations indulging in corruption.
The party also promised to work towards equipping each panchayat with state-of-the-art facilities.