Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 8 Feb: Governor KT Parnaik on Thursday outlined the major achievements of Chief Minister Pema Khandu government in the last eight years, terming them “a never-seen-before era for Arunachal, where the government has made historic, transformational, systemic, and structural changes that have improved the lives of all citizens, especially benefitting the poor, women, youths, and farmers.”
Addressing the 13th session of the 7th legislative assembly of Arunachal Pradesh, Parnaik said that the state has made a quantum jump on the economic development front through fast-tracking governance reforms and prudent financial management.
“The government has ensured that more resources are spent on socially useful and economically productive investments while not defaulting on any commitments in terms of loan repayments, salaries and wages, and pension dues,” the governor said, and added that “the government has overseen the increase of 137 percent in the state annual budget, and an increase in state’s own resource by nearly 172 percent, from Rs 1,253.61 crore to Rs 3,412.81 crore.”
He said also that the government has implemented the electronic government receipt accounting system for eGRAS from 2022-’23.
The governor further informed that the state government has enhanced the autonomy of the panchayati raj institutions (PRI) by devolving 29 subjects and “keeping our commitment of allocating 10 percent of our own tax revenue to PRIs, providing Rs 123 crore in 2022-’23 and Rs 143.11 crore in 2023-’24; reformed the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board; and adopted environmental- or climate-tagged budgeting after the historic Pakke Declaration.”
He also highlighted the introduction of the national pension system, “including extending it to autonomous bodies and societies, and partnership with LBSNAA Mussoorie, IIM Shillong, IIM Kolkata, NISG Hyderabad, NESAC Shillong, NID Ahmedabad, publication of the state’s first startup policy, and the state’s first logistics policy under the PM Gati Shakti framework.”
“Our government turned the pandemic crisis into an opportunity, with Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his team taking up the challenge of creating much-needed healthcare infrastructure in the state,” Parnaik said. He also mentioned the establishment of the first medical college of the state, the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences, “with the first batch of MBBS doctors passing out last academic session, and its upgradation.”
The governor further said that the infant mortality rate in the state has reduced significantly from 22.9 in 2015-’16 to 12.9 in 2020-’21, as per NFHS data, which, he said, “is the highest reduction of IMR in the country during the period.”
“Similarly, neonatal mortality rate has reduced from 11.8 in 2015-’16 to 7.7 in 2020-’21, as per NFHS,” he said.
He also highlighted the development made in the aviation sector by making operational the Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi, besides the airports in Pasighat (E/Siang), Tezu (Lohit), and Ziro (L/Subansiri).
The governor informed that, over the past eight years, Arunachal has witnessed “a remarkable surge in road infrastructure.”
“In this timeframe, despite challenges of terrain and weather, the chief minister and his team have constructed an extensive 19,863 kms road network and successfully developed 2,482 kms of national highways,” he said.
As a result of focused investment in the road sector, in the last eight years, there have been a 91 percent increase in the length of highways, from 1,042 kms in 2015-’16 to 1,992 kms in 2022-’23, and 64 percent increase in overall road length, he said.
An additional 2,857 kms of national highways are slated for construction, with a union government allocation of Rs 44,000 crore, he said, adding that “105 roads, covering 1,022 kms and connecting 125 habitations, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,205 crore, have been sanctioned under the vibrant villages programme.”
The governor further highlighted the achievements made in the hydropower sector, informing that the state government has invested a total of Rs 1,013.8 crore in the hydropower sector in the last seven years, with 213 percent increase in installed hydropower capacity from 405 MW in 2015-’16 to 1,270 MW in 2022-’23, “making Arunachal the second power surplus state in the Northeast.” (Full speech here)
(Raj Bhavan)
