NAMPONG, 5 May: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Thursday flagged off a ‘Trans-Arunachal Drive’ car rally from Pangsau Pass near here in Changlang district, in the presence of Legislative Assembly Speaker PD Sona, local MLA Laisam Simai, and others.
The event is being organised by the tourism department as part of the ‘Dekho Apna Desh, Dekho Apna Pradesh’ initiative, “which aims to put on display the tourist attractions, destinations and biodiversity of the state,” the DCM’s PR cell informed in a release.
Mein offered best wishes to the entire team, which would be traversing 2,000 kms during the 12-day road trip.
“Through the lenses of all the participants, the beauty of Arunachal will reach far and wide across the globe and in coming days, more supercars will come to Arunachal to drive across the Trans-Arunachal Highway with the improved connectivity and quality road,” Mein said.
He claimed that “Arunachal Pradesh will be the next most sought after tourist destination,” and added that the government has enhanced the allocation under the Chief Minister Paryatan Yojana from Rs 4 crores in the 2021-22 FY to Rs 8 crores in the 2022-23 FY, “besides also promoting homestays across the state for giving affordable stay and experience the local cultures.”
Stating that Arunachal has “most diverse cultures, having 26 major tribes and 100 sub-tribes with distinct culture, identity and dialect,” the DCM said that the state is also one of the biodiversity hotspots “with rich flora and fauna, which provides scope for research as well as nature tourism.”
Mein announced that the famous pilgrimage site, Parshuram Kund, is being developed into a major tourist destination, and that the 7 Lakes track in Dibang Valley district and the trekking track at Glaw Lake “will be favourite tourist destinations for the adventure lovers.”
Responding to a memorandum submitted by the villagers regarding reopening of the Indo-Myanmar
market through Pangsau Pass and granting of permission to domestic tourists to visit up to the Indo-Myanmar international border, Mein assured to take up the matter at the highest level.
Sona, Simai, Tourism Secretary Sadhana Deori, and 25 Sector Assam Rifles Brigadier Swarn Singh also spoke, the release said.
