Itanagar, Jan 12 (NationPress) Promoting ‘decentralisation of power’ in the development planning framework, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced on Saturday that his government is committed to adopting a ‘bottom to top’ approach for approving developmental projects.
During his address at the ‘Sankalp Samaroh’ held in Sangram, located in the Kurung Kumey district, the Chief Minister emphasized that the ‘old way’ of planning must be replaced with an innovative process that integrates schemes and projects identified and advocated by the local populace.
Khandu revealed that ‘Guardian Ministers’ and ‘Mentor Secretaries’ have been designated for every district in the state. He mentioned that a two-day workshop scheduled to commence on January 16 at Itanagar will involve all ‘Guardian Ministers’, ‘Mentor Secretaries’, and Deputy Commissioners to initiate this process.
This workshop will include collaborative sessions focused on identifying challenges, potential opportunities, and requirements for each district. Following this, there will be individual meetings between ‘Guardian Ministers’ and ‘Mentor Secretaries’ with stakeholders at the district level. Each district will then prioritize its needs and submit recommendations to the government, which will be included in the annual development plan, he stated.
Khandu highlighted that this ‘bottom to top’ planning approach is designed to prevent wasteful expenditure of government funds, ensuring that districts receive priority support for their specific needs.
The Chief Minister also disclosed that significant reforms in the education sector will be enacted soon.
According to Khandu, the Education Minister has nearly finished touring each district, engaging with stakeholders to identify challenges and requirements to significantly elevate the education landscape district-wise.
He indicated that after these discussions, the Education Department will compile its insights and recommendations for the state government.
"We will review these recommendations, hold discussions in the Cabinet, and then implement reforms that I predict will be substantial. I assure that these reforms will be fully operational within three financial years," he declared.
Referring to the communication sector, which is particularly challenging in Kurung Kumey, Khandu noted the substantial progress made over the past 14 years since Narendra Modi took office as Prime Minister.
“Previously, it would take an entire day or even two to travel from Itanagar to Nyapin or Sangram. Thanks to the construction of the Trans Arunachal Highway, this journey now takes only a few hours,” he stated.
He mentioned that connectivity in the region, especially in the Nyapin-Sangram and Koloriang Assembly constituencies, will significantly improve following the completion of the Frontier Highway.
The Frontier Highway, set to link Nafra in West Kameng to Vijaynagar in Changlang, has had its tender floated, with the exception of segments in East Kameng, Kurung Kumey, and the Vijaynagar area in Changlang due to land acquisition challenges.
“In addition to the Frontier Highway, Inter-Corridor Roads will be constructed to link sectors that are not connected to either the Trans Arunachal Highway or the Frontier Highway,” he added.
Moreover, the Chief Minister disclosed that the state government will advocate with the Central government to designate Kurung Kumey and Kra-Dadi districts as tourist circuits.
He believes that once these roads are completed, Kurung Kumey in particular could gain significant advantages from the burgeoning tourism sector.
As Kurung Kumey and Kra-Dadi are included in the Prime Minister’s TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, among 347 districts across 33 states and union territories, Khandu strongly encouraged everyone to participate in the health camps that will be organized under this initiative in both districts.
He also reiterated his concerns about the ‘money culture’ in elections and urged the public to avoid it for the sake of their region's development.
