ITANAGAR, 16 Aug: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday called upon the people of the state to join hands with the government with renewed vigour and determination to achieve the goal of a developed state.
Hoisting the national tricolour at Indira Gandhi Park here on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, the chief minister said that “the goal of building a developed Arunachal’ cannot be achieved without the wholehearted support of the people.”
“We stand today at a crossroads, where the path of tradition and modernity intertwine. By leveraging our natural resources responsibly and preserving our cultural heritage, we can drive sustainable development that benefits all sections of the society,” the chief minister said.
Through collective efforts, dedication and determination, we can achieve remarkable milestones and transform our vision of a developed Arunachal into reality, he said.
“According to the Sustainable Development Goals scoreboard for 2023-’24, Arunachal Pradesh has ascended to the esteemed group of ‘frontrunner states’ – a significant improvement from our status as a ‘performer state’ in 2020-’21. Despite these achievements, our work is far from over. In the future, we will pursue all SDG goals with a saturation approach,” Khandu said.
The chief minister claimed that the state had significantly reduced multidimensional poverty by almost 11 per cent in the last three years, which, he said, “is a testament to the efforts and enduring spirit of the citizens in striving towards a developed Arunachal, where no citizen is left behind; one where the government is truly committed to the overarching goal of antyodaya, the holistic wellbeing of the last man in the queue.”
Sharing the government’s vision, Khandu said, “Our vision for 2047 rests on the foundation of robust governance reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in administration.”
By fostering an environment of good governance, we can ensure that policies are formulated and implemented in a manner that fosters trust and satisfaction among citizens, the chief minister said.
“Our commitment to eradicate poverty is steadfast. While currently at 13.76 per cent, our aim is clear by 2047, we envision a state where no one lives in poverty, ensuring that economic prosperity reaches every household,” Khandu said.
Stating that the government is aiming to achieve cent per cent digitalisation of services by 2029, empowering citizens with easy access to essential services, Khandu added that the government will continue to make substantial investments in enhancing human capital, focusing on education, skill development and vocational training, to empower citizens with knowledge and expertise needed to participate actively in state’s growth story.
“Our strategic pillar of ‘environment protection and climate resilience’ underscores the significance of safeguarding the environment and building climate resilience. Arunachal became the first state in India to commit to climate-resilient development through the Pakke Declaration-2047, with 75 strategies identified under Panch Dharas,” he added.
Khandu said that the government will introduce bottom-up planning to ensure effective and comprehensive development, “right down to the last mile by considering the needs and aspirations of every person, every village and every region.”
“To enhance the quality of life of citizens, we will ensure cent per cent physical and digital connectivity for all unconnected village and administrative headquarters,” Khandu said, adding that the government is committed to empower at least 21,000 women to become “lakhpati didis” over the next five years, enabling them to earn an annual income of more than Rs 1 lakh.
The chief minister said that the government is launching “the SEE Trinity (Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Employment) to completely reorient the entire ecosystem, providing over 25,000 employment and self-employment opportunities in the next five years for the youths, especially women.”
He said that, “with the vision of ‘Vikas Bhi, Viraasat Bhi’, the government is committed to ensure that the unique linguistic, cultural and social identity is adequately preserved, protected and promoted.
“We are committed to utilise new-age technologies for preventing crimes and ensuring scientific investigation. We will adopt advanced technologies, including GIS, AI, machine learning and big data analytics for crime mapping and monitoring, enhancing crime prevention and resolution,” he said.
To ensure a safer environment for women, the government has started the “pink patrolling” initiative and will further enhance it with state-of-the-art PCR vehicles, he added.
“We must be prepared for global challenges like pandemics, climate change, technological disruptions, economic instability and the rising geopolitical tensions. It is essential for us to think and act locally and globally,” Khandu said, and urged the people to embark on this journey with renewed vigour and determination. (PTI)
