ITANAGAR, 18 Jul: North Eastern Council (NEC)Secretary SK Bhalla, who is on a visit to the state, on Friday visited a few cultural sites here which have been funded by the NEC.
During his visit to the State Emporium and Artefact House, a project completed in 2018, Bhalla praised Textiles and Handicrafts Director Dorjee Phuntso and his team for the display of tribal products of various communities across Arunachal Pradesh. He expressed happiness over NEC’s role in supporting local artisans and the handloom and handicraft sectors, reaffirming the importance of promoting the rich cultural heritage of the state.
The secretary also visited the historic Itafort, where he reviewed the protection of the archaeological park (southern gate) being executed with the support of the NEC. The team from the state’s research department, led by Archaeology Deputy Director Bulton Dutta, explained the historical background and the activities planned for making the site more attractive to the visitors.
Expressing appreciation for the progress of the ongoing renovation and upgradation work by the state government, Bhalla emphasized the importance of preserving the heritage site.
Further, he inspected the construction of the new administrative block at Dera Natung Government College, being constructed at a cost of Rs 6.86 crore. He directed the executing agency, PWD, to complete the project by August as per standards outlined in the detailed project report, so that the college administration can start operating from the new block, enhancing its efficiency and student experience.
Carrying forward his visit, the NEC secretary toured the Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum, where he reviewed the museum’s exhibits and the NEC-funded extension of the galleries of the museum. He lauded the collection and commended the states’ initiative in showcasing the cultural and historic exhibits from the other seven states, thereby completing the Ashtlakshmi darshan for the visitors. He also commended the planned initiative for a digital museum explained by Museum & Archives Deputy Director Tage Babin and Culture Assistant Director Dr Radhe Yampi from the Research Department.
During the visits, the NEC secretary was accompanied by NEC HRD&E Director Bamin Tarang and Sanjay Kumar Phukan, joint director (project coordination), Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
