NAMSAI, 12 Dec: Union Heavy Industries Minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey on Sunday visited the Amrit Sarovar and the Jal Jeevan Mission sites in Jona Kachari village in Namsai district and interacted with the beneficiaries of various centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS).
Later, he presided over a meeting to review the NITI Aayog’s aspirational district programme (ADP) with MP Tapir Gao, MLAs Chau Zingnu Namchoom and Jummum Ete Deori, ZPC Nang Urmila Mancheykhun, DC CR Khampa, and other officers.
Pandey lauded the district for achieving various targets. Highlighting the issue of malnutrition, he suggested “linking the services of anganwadi centres with the ongoing Seva Aapke Dwar programme of the state government, giving special emphasis to Poshan Abhiyan.”
He assured to endorse the requests that were placed during the meeting, the foremost of them being establishment of a medical college in Namsai district to cater to the needs of all the eastern zone districts of the state.
Advising that proposals for all feasible projects be sent to the ministry concerned, he said, “The sole aspirational district in the state should see their demands being met.”
The union minister also visited the 60-bedded district hospital and the MCH wing which is under construction. He expressed appreciation for the pace and quality in which the work is being done.
Gao requested Pandey to “endorse the matter of changing the funding pattern for Northeastern region.” Stating that the majority of the NE states are affected by heavy rainfall for majority of the months in a year, “conducive working season is limited only to winter months, hence implementation and timely completion of work becomes an issue,” he said.
Namchoom said that “constant visits of union ministers to Namsai district has encouraged us to work harder with greater zeal, and we shall strive to do the same even after the completion of ADP.”
He spoke also about the drug menace in the region “and the need for revamping existing aids by establishing not only de-addiction but also rehabilitation centres in the region.”
District Planning Officer Dr Keshab Sharma made a detailed sector-wise presentation on the progress, achievements and bottlenecks vis-à-vis various parameters under the aspirational districts programme. (DIPRO)
