The report of trucks carrying PDS rice under Priority Household (PHH) and Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) reaching Vijaynagar after a gap of eight years is very encouraging news. This could be possible with the drastic improvement in the Miao-Vijaynagar (MV) road. This road was lying in deplorable condition for so many years. The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu has done a remarkable job in reviving this road. Still there is a long way to go to make it a reliable road, especially during monsoon, but at least it is an all-weather motorable road for now. This is an achievement.
When the head load system of carrying PDS rice was discontinued, the PDS rice supply to remote Vijaynagar had also stopped. Only rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Kalyan Yojana was being airdropped. If the MV road remains motorable throughout the year, Vijaynagar can emerge as the next big tourist destination. With scenic beauty and rich biodiversity, the area has potential to attract tourists from all over the country. The next effort of the government should be to keep the MV road open throughout the year. The maintenance of roads should be prioritised. Strategically, this road is very important and the state government can hand it over to the Border Roads Organisation, if possible, for better maintenance.