Strengthening law and order state govt’s top priority — Khandu

Itanagar, June 3 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday said his government’s top priority is to strengthen the law and order apparatus in the state.

The state government last year had allocated adequate funds to the police department for procurement of arms and other equipments, he said.

“To strengthen the police forces in the state, the cabinet has sanctioned immediate creation of 1,000 posts of civil police in different levels which will go a long way in effective maintenance of law and order,” Khandu told reporters at the Assembly premise here.

The chief minister said that the DGP on Sunday informed that the procurement process has been completed and hopefully all the equipment will be made available by the end of this month.

In the education sector, another priority area of the new government, Khandu informed that the state cabinet has approved creation of only one director for School Education by merging the posts of directors of Elementary Education and Secondary Education.

Referring to the growing unemployment problem in the state, the chief minister said the state government has already re-structured the state’s Industrial Policy and would explore all possible potential areas including efforts to invite outside investment in private as well as public sectors for gainful employment.

On the dilapidated roads in the state, especially in the state capital, Khandu who also holds charge of the PWD department, said he has held a meeting with deputy chief minister Chowna Mein on the issue and planning to bring a change in the communication network particularly in twin capital cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun.

“Sector roads and colony roads will be first developed,” he said.

The chief minister said the work on ambitious Trans Arunachal Highway (TAH) is “not going on in a satisfactory note” in the state.

“I will take a review meeting of the departmental officers immediately after the Assembly session and will issue warning to the contractors to speed up the works as per norms in time bound manner. I will also personally monitor the works,” he added.

When his attention was drawn on the allegation by National People’s Party (NPP) on the poor financial position of the state, Khandu claimed that the financial position of the state was healthy and sound.

“Immediately after the swearing in, I directed the Finance department to clear all the pending liabilities of the contractors who have completed their assigned job. There should be no doubt in the state’s financial position which is healthy,” he said.

On the boundary issue between Arunachal and Assam, the chief minister declined to comment on the issue saying that the matter is sub-judiced in the Supreme Court.

He, however, appealed to the people of both the neighbouring states residing in the inter-state border to maintain peace.

On allocation of Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio to Union Minister of State (Independent) Kiren Rijiju who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, Khandu expressing happiness disclosed that through there is no dearth of sporting talents in North East, but due to lack of modern infrastructure and guidance, the youths of the region are not in a position to excel.

“We have great hope on Rijiju that he will take the region to a new height in the sports sector,” the chief minister added.