How Gaon Bura’s would be the highest beneficiary?

Nabam Tuki quoted “Recently our Government had increased the honorarium to Gaon Buras and Head Gaon Buras. If we are elected back to power, we will raise these to Rs 1000 and Rs 1050 for Gaon Buras and Head Gaon Buras respectively.”

But what brought the loudest cheer from the Gaon Buras and the people was the assurance of the Chief Minister to provide Gaon Buras with free power of two units, a mobile handset and a colour television set each if the Party is voted back to power.

Hence it is our duty to take care of Gaon Buras as well as empower the Panchayati Raj institutions,” Tuki pointed and highlighted the recent decisions of the government to devolve functions and financial power to PRIs.

SEZ in Arunachal Pradesh: An historic Promise

Highlighting the promises  if voted back to power, Tuki informed of the Special Economy Zones (SEZs) proposed to be set up in the state. These SEZs would include Pharma & Medical Tourism SEZ, Information Technology SEZ, Knowledge City and Fruit and Food Processing Industrial Zone.

Referring to the potential of Bhalukpong, situated in the foothills bordering Assam, Tuki felt that one of the SEZs could be established in the area.

pharmaceutical SEZ will be established in the foothills to attract pharma companies to set up factories while Medical Tourism SEZ will facilitate traditional healing alternate medicine and herbal therapy.

 A special SEZ has been proposed in urban area exclusively for the IT sector that would also include assembly plants and call centers. A Knowledge City would promote education and academic activities while the Fruit and Food Processing Industrial Zone will cater to the abundant produces from across the state.

RSBY health insurance scheme in Arunachal Pradesh: What it tells?

Highlighting the scheme, Tuki said that it would help provide quality healthcare to all the beneficiaries which will help bring down the mortality rate.

He also informed that the service providers, the  Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance limited had already signed MoU with the state government and would provide health insurance cover under the government sponsored RSBY to the BPL families in the state.

Initially ten districts out of total 17 have been selected for the scheme, while the rest would be included at a later stage, Tuki said.

RSBY is a unique scheme which empowers the card holder to get cashless treatment from all RSBY network hospitals across India. The scheme covers hospitalization expenses of a BPL family of five members for up to thirty thousand rupees.

The company has empanelled 9 hospitals in the state including Papumpare, East Siang, West Siang, Lower Subansiri, West Kameng, East Kameng, Changlang, Lohit and Tirap.

The beneficiaries of RSBY can choose to go to any network hospitals in any districts in India and the benefits can be availed by producing the smartcard at the hospital. Approximately forty thousand BPL families are expected to get benefitted by the scheme in the state.

First Passenger Train service to ‘chug chug’ into Arunachal Pradesh

A passenger train would roll down from Tezpur to Naharlagun through the newly built Harmuti-Naharlagun railway line to put landlocked Arunachal Pradesh on the railway map of India, informed Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.

The ambitious railway line project estimated to cost Rs 156 crore (re-estimated at Rs 371.33 crore by the Railway Board on July 7, 2009), missed its target of December 2011 repeatedly.  Sarma, who is the project incharge, attributed the inordinate delay due to existence of five high tension power line poles along the tracks, forest clearance at Gumto area obtained only January 8 last.

As state’s power department has now removed the high tension power line, the formal train service began with clearance by Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Sarma said, adding only passenger trains would run, not goods trains.

Railway connectivity would be a gift of government of India for the land-locked people of this Himalayan state, said Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.

The construction of 20-km Harmutty-Itanagar railway line was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 31, 2008 but former Rajya Sabha member Nabam Rebia armed with a memorandum of Arunachal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) had pursued then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who in 2007 Railway Budget had ordered surveys for gauge conversion of Rangia-Murkongselek and Tezpur-Bhalukpong link lines besides updating of the surveys of the Harmutty-Itanagar railway line.

Highlighting the historical and mythological relevance of the state including the famous Parsuram Kund, Malinithan and tallest Shiva Linga of Ziro during a one to one interaction with the then Union MoS for Trade and Commerce Jairam Ramesh at Pasighat on January 15, 2007, an ACCI delegation led by president Techi Lala, general secretary Tarak Nachung and chief advisor B K Ghosh Dostidar had also demanded construction of 161-km Tinsukia-Parsuram Kund rail line to help tourists from all over India to put the holy place in global tourism map.

Harnessing Medical Plant for Tourism

Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki has pitched for harnessing of the abundant medicinal and aromatic plants of the state to enhance revenue generation.

"With a forest cover of 82%, we are blessed with approximately 500 species of medicinal and aromatic plants, which, if harnessed properly, can fetch handsome revenues for the state," 

While saying that the indigenous people, especially those living in rural areas, have better knowledge about traditional medicines, Tuki opined that forest officials should conduct extensive research to identify new medicinal and aromatic plants apart from studying already identified species.

The chief minister, while sharing his past experiences at conferences on medicinal and aromatic plants in Hyderabad and in Kathmandu (Nepal), said that Arunachal Pradesh, with its available resources, is capable of becoming a leading exporter of medicinal and aromatic plants in the country.

He urged forest officials to work with renewed energy and do full justice to their assigned role so that wildlife and forest crimes can be completely contained.

He said they should make efforts to come up with innovative proposals for cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants to wean people away from Jhum cultivation. Besides medicinal plants, he laid emphasis on promoting tea and rubber plantation to cover the barren fields created by Jhum cultivation.

It was Nabam Tuki who contemplated new transfer policy for forest dept during his tenure

Those officers who have been discharging their duties with utmost sincerity and dedication shall be given three options of posting place," Chief Minister Nabam Tuki told .

He said officials doing exceptionally well in preservation of the rich flora and fauna would get priority in promotions.

Tuki suggested inclusion of subjects like forest conservation, importance of wildlife and impact of global warming in school syllabus. He asked the department concerned to co-ordinate with the education department to implement the plan at the earliest.

"This will educate our children in their elementary stage and will also generate awareness among their parents over the importance of forest and wildlife," he said.

Announcing that the state has received the highest grant under the 13th Finance Commission by way of 'Green Bonus', the chief minister emphasised on the need to protect the forest so that the state can continue to get higher central allocation in near future.

He also stressed on increasing the state's forest cover from 82 per cent to 90 per cent through rubber and tea plantations wherever applicable.

Exhorting officials to gainfully utilise CAMPA fund meant for afforestation programme, the chief minister said community participation should be made mandatory in such schemes.

"We must start afforestation programmes with economically viable plants so that economic generation could be ensured alongside increasing forest cover," Tuki said.

He also suggested involving community and individuals under the programme so that they could be equally benefited from such afforestation programmes. He asked the department to start the process on phase wise manner by selecting few divisions on an experimental basis.

  

During his tenure, Nabam Tuki laid foundation for rental housing under RAY

Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki laid the foundation for construction of rental housing under Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) at Dokoso near the state zoo here. It will comprise 576 units. This is the first such project in the state to be implemented by the urban development and town planning department.

Tuki also laid the foundation for construction of flats for senior government officers in   Itanagar.

Tuki, who was accompanied by urban development minister Rajesh Tacho, said the project would help solve accommodation problems of the state government employees. The RAY project would provide housing to those living below the poverty line on nominal rents. The other project would solve the accommodation problem of 90 senior government officers.

The Rs 4431.2 lakh RAY project includes construction of internal road, community centre, livelihood centre, proper drainage system and boundary wall with 10 per cent funding from the state government. A 24-month deadline is set for its completion, UD director Tedir informed the CM.

Arunachal CM announced one job to each member of household during his tenure

 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki   said the government would provide at least one job to each member of a household, either in private, Public Sector or self-employment.

"We will target creation of one lakh new jobs during the five year period beginning from 2013 and create at least 25,000 such new opportunities during the current year. For skill development and capacity building, we have already set up Employment Generation and Skill Development Councils.

Tuki lauded the people for reposing their faith in the state government and partnering in the development of the state.

"We have to rebuild, re-dedicate and reiterate our unity and march on with a sole mission of peace and progress. I and all my colleagues reaffirm our responsibilities of working tirelessly towards turning the aspirations of the people into reality," The last few years have brought about a positive change in the development trajectory of the state, he said.

"In 2007, the state's per capita income was 10 per cent lower than the national per capita income. Today it is almost 10 per cent higher. Our annual growth rate during the 11th Five Year Plan has been 9.4 per cent, which is about 1.5 per cent higher than the national growth rate," Tuki pointed out.

"Our sincere efforts have resulted in realistic progress in health, education, agriculture, horticulture, sports, tourism and social sectors. We have also made progress in road communication and railway and air connectivity," he disclosed.

Tuki assured that the trans-Arunachal Highway, which is under construction, will connect and inter-link 11 districts of the state while Itanagar will be connected by a 4-lane highway with rest of the country. The railway connectivity is also fast coming up and the state will also be in the railway map of the country.

Nabam Tuki’s tenure seen the encouragement of SDC to impart skill to the unemployed Youth

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said the objective of forming Skill Development Council (SDC) is to equip the unemployed youth,particularly school dropouts,with knowhow to help them get ‘gainful employment’ in various sectors and be self-employed. Tuki said the government alone cannot accommodate the unemployed youth and the only way out is to promote and facilitate means of self-employment through imparting productive skills.

“The responsibility on SDC is huge which can be met only through proper brain-storming and inputs and coordination between all line departments and private sector firms,” Tuki said.

The ITIs along with two poly-technics are currently the only source for imparting skill to the youth of state.

The chief minister said at least 6,000 youth should have been trained in these institutes in the last six years.

Tuki also invited suggestions from all stake holders to finalise a road map for success of the SDC.

Tuki reiterates commitment to develop interior areas of Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki reiterated the commitment of his government to develop interior areas of the state at par with other progressive parts.

Tuki said the government will deliver its best efforts to develop not only Nyapin sub-division, but every interior and remote administrative centers across the state for over-all development and welfare of each and every household.

The chief minister announced Rs. two crore for infrastructure development of the Additional Deputy Commissioner''s (ADC) office and Rs. one crore for construction of a community hall.

Responding to a memorandum submitted by Nyapin MLA Bamang Felix, Tuki assured to sanction funds to the tune of Rs. five crore for blacktopping of the Nyapin-Sangram road to make it all-weather worthy. In the first phase, he assured Rs. two crore for it by March next. Of the 38 km, 12 km of the said road has already been black-topped under the initiatives of the local legislator.

To another appeal for construction of a road from Nyapin to Jamin - the proposed district headquarters of the new district to be carved out of Kurung Kumey, the chief minister said it will be taken up on priority under NLCPR .

The road is proposed to connect Nyapin and Jamin via Laba, Panung, Leyang and Paji.

Asserting that his government is committed to exploit sporting potentials of local youths, Tuki announced a sum of Rs. one crore to develop the playground of the Government M E School at Sango.

Arunachal in pact with NSDL for adoption of National Pension Scheme

Arunachal Pradesh has entered into an agreement with National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), authorising it to work as a Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for adoption of the National Pension System (NPS).

NPS is an initiative of the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh is the 26th State to adopt it.

With this, more than 6,160 employees who have joined the services of the State Government on or after January 1, 2008, would be able to avail of the NPS benefits.

As far as IAS officials are concerned, the scheme would be effective from January 1, 2004. As on date Rs 11,04,34,388 has been deposited in the State Government exchequer.

More than 44 lakh subscribers across the Central Government, State Government, central and State autonomous bodies, a few corporates and other citizens are associated with NPS.

The scheme, which has been running for the last few years, has funds of more than Rs 22,000 crore.

Tilak said the NPS is a system wherein eligible Government subscribers contribute a fixed portion of their salaries and an equivalent contribution is made by the respective State Governments every month.

“These amounts are transferred to empanelled Pension Fund Managers (PFMs) for subsequent contribution in instruments such as Government securities, corporate and equities.

“Collection of funds from the eligible entities and further transfer thereof is co-ordinated by a Trustee Bank, namely Bank of India.

NSDL has been entrusted with the task of maintaining subscriber-wise records of the investments made on their behalf. The entire NPS activity is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority which has been created especially for this purpose by the Centre.

Negi asked the NSDL team to organise a workshop at least once a year to create awareness.

Arunachal Govt. keen to develop school infrastructure

Most government-run schools in Arunachal Pradesh are functioning with the help of infrastructures of the early sixties, and now, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has said that his government is committed to replace these infrastructures with concrete buildings.

 He lauded the Indian Army for helping in a civilian cause that aims to impart quality education to children across the state in general and particularly in the district.

He expressed his gratitude to Major General R.P.S. Bhaduria, General Officer Commanding, 56 Infantry Likabali and Brigadier Ajay Verma for their initiative to give shape to a model school here. He also laid the foundation stone of 20 bedded wards at District Hospital Aalo.

Tuki assured to place demands like the construction of a rostrum, teachers quarters, classroom buildings in next SPB on top-most priority, and declared amid applause to get the Golden Jubilee Hall . 

"What we need today is a congenial society, where we all can thrive and live peacefully and encourage students to inculcate discipline, duty and devotion to excel in different parameters of life, and to be good members of the society," he said.

Nabm Tuki managed to impress Planning Commission

The state's annual Plan outlay for 2013-14 was finalized at a meeting between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Alhuwallia and Arunachal Pradesh   Nabam Tuki .

"State has done well and expenditure realisation is satisfactory."

 The achievement in education especially in primary education was appreciated but attention was drawn to quality of education. The state was asked to focus on trained teachers in the meeting.

The state registered an economic growth rate of 9.4 per cent during the 11th Plan against growth target of 6.4 per cent. The overall state's economic growth target for 12th Plan is 8.3 per cent.

"The Commission was aware of the need to further improve transportation facility in the border areas and it would be given special attention in the course of the year.

He drew attention to the initiative of the Commission to bring flexibility in the centrally sponsored programmes to improve efficiency and asked the state to make suggestions in this regard.

The state was asked to draw pragmatic strategies towards the resource convergence approach in order to utilize the fund to offer an impetus to further growth under agriculture and allied sectors.

It was also pointed out that the development of irrigation facilities under the AIBP desires more cohesiveness in terms of incremental area gain for the net sown area in order to accelerate the area coverage in comparison to rain fed farming.

The state was asked to incentivise private participation in PPP mode to fully exploit tourism potential.

The Chief Minister said that substantial growth has been recorded in revenue generation and additional Rs 350 Crore were raised only through effective implementation.

He said that a number of austerity measures have been taken to improve fiscal health which include ban on creation of new posts or purchase of new vehicles.

He said master plan for agriculture development would be enforced shortly and a major effort to bring down AT&C losses is being put in place.

Under Nabam Tuki’s initiative Arunachal proposes Rs 5 cr investment for tea cultivation

Arunachal Pradesh has proposed an investment of Rs five crore for tea cultivation

 in the state  under the Chief Minister's Mission Mode Project (MMP) on plantation crops.

Under the proposed scheme, progressive tea growers would be provided financial assistance Rs one lakh per farmer for cultivating tea in one hectare.

The exercise for inviting applications from willing tea growers was under process and enumeration of tea farmers were also in process.

The physical target proposed during the last financial year include 20 hectares each in West Kameng, East Kameng, East Siang, Upper Siang, West Siang, Upper Subansiri, Lower Subansiri and Kurung Kumey districts and 21 hectares each have been proposed in Papum Pare, Lower Dibang Valley, Lohit, Changlang, Tirap and Changlang districts for tea cultivation.

However, so far the proposal has not been cleared by the high level monitoring committee due to which the fund has not been released to the department yet.

Main Highlights Investment Potentials

The GoAP under the leadership of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki is of the firm belief that all major infrastructure projects of future will be best developed as partnership ventures between the GoAP and the private sector.

The NE region serves as the centre of South-East Asian region where 50% of world’s rich live, he said and advocated that the NER be treated as the gateway to SE Asia and its markets rather than as a place which is at a large distance from the national capital.

Besides Union DoNER Minister Pawan Singh Ghatowar, Planning Commission team headed by Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia besides ministers and officers from central & state governments, representatives of industry based across the country and traders bodies’ members from ASEAN countries are attending the conference.

 Other Arunchal Pradesh team members included agri-horti commissioner Hage Kojin, planning secretary Sonam Chombay and industries additional director Subu Tabin. An initiative of Confederation of Indian Industry in partnership with Planning Commission and union DoNER ministry, the broad objective is to project the recent developments in NER, specifically related to infrastructure and highlight the potential and upcoming opportunities. Aimed at creating a “focus” and “investors’ interest” on the potential for participating in the North East markets, the initiative is envisaged to trigger large scale economic activities in the region.

Arunachal CM stresses on quick environmental clearances for implementation of power projects

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has urged the Centre for expeditious environmental and forest clearances and land acquisition as per Environment Ministry's new guidelines to speed up implementation of power projects in the state.

  
He also raised the issue of delay in commissioning of road packages under the Trans Arunachal Highway and urged for added impetus to address the connectivity concerns in the state with necessary support from agencies like the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the Border Roads Organization (BRO) and  others.
  
The Chief Minister appealed to the Planning Commission for allocating necessary funds for land acquisition to start the initial work of the Greenfield Airport in the state.
  
The prospects of boosting regional air connectivity and the status of the Advanced Landing Grounds were also discussed in the meeting, the sources informed.
  
The Prime Minister assured full co-operation of the central government in expediting all pending issues of the state as well as the entire North-East.
     
While discussing the health scenario in the state, Tuki called for central assistance especially in health education and prevention programmes and emphasized on the need for flexible guidelines of the schemes for taking health care services to the remote places in the land-locked state.
  
He also said that the Centre should give impetus to improve health care services in border areas of the state .