After a major hue and cry by the All Arunachal Contractors’ Welfare Association (AACWA), the state government has lifted the order halting payment of government cheques issued to the contractors. On Wednesday, the AACWA had threatened to stop the entire ongoing development works in the state if the government did not lift the temporary ban on payment. For now the financial crisis seems to have been resolved. But this whole incident raises a serious question mark over the financial health of the state government.
There is need for the government to rethink. If indeed they are facing financial constraints, the government should only concentrate in completing the ongoing projects. The focus should be on health and road infrastructures. The maximum amount of fund should be kept for these two important sectors. It is a well known fact that the Indian economy is going through a torrid time and Covid-19 has further added to the stress. For a state like Arunachal, which is totally dependent on central grants, the situation is alarming. The central fund is drying up and it is directly affecting the development plan. Therefore the state government should judiciously use whatever fund is available. They should come clean on the financial situation, so that the people of state are aware of the situation. Such transparency will only help to boost the image of the government.