October 12, 2024
October 12, 2024
By Staff REPORTER
NAHARLAGUN, Mar 07: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday informed that a total number of 19,358 domestic and foreign tourists visited the state in the past three years.
Responding to a question from BJP member Gabriel D Wangsu regarding creation of tourist circuit for Tirap and Longding districts during question hour, Khandu disclosed that during 2014 a total number of 6307 tourists visited the state while during 2015 6453 visited and in last year 6598 tourists visited.
In reply to a supplementary the chief minister informed that creation of tourist circuit was under the purview of the union Home Ministry as per the Disturb Area Act of 1958.
A tourist circuit encompassing Margherita-Jairampur-Nampong-Manmao-Pangsau Pass had been opened recently in Changlang district while the Centre is considering opening more routes in Tirap and Longding districts.
“The Centre has introduced new development scheme which will be considered for Longding,” Khandu said and added that proposal for Guwahati-Balemu-Shergaon-Rupa route would be forwarded to the Centre for consideration.
Earlier, raising the question Wangsu said that he had visited insurgency-hit Longwa in Nagaland where inflow of tourists was encouraging and infrastructure development is going on with improvement in the local economy.
BJP MLA Wangling Lowangdong who is also from Tirap district, in a supplementary said that in spite of immense tourism potentials in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, the state government was not taking up the issue with the Centre.
“When Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir and Nagalang have been encouraging tourism despite being declared as disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Power (S) Act imposed during 1991 why Arunachal Pradesh government is not taking up the matter with the Centre to promote tourism in these three insurgency affected districts which comes under the AFSPA,” he wondered.
Senior BJP member Japu Deru and Thangwang Wangham also participated in the discussion.
Kalikho Pul case:
Responding to a question by Nabam Tuki regarding the 60-page booklet written by former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul before he committed suicide, the chief minister informed that five copies of ‘Mere Vichaar’ were seized by the ADM on August 9 last and handed over to the police.
He said a written FIR dated August 9, 2016 by all the three wives of Pul was received in Itanagar police station on August 12, 2016.
Since the police had already registered a UD case No 14/2016 on the date of incident on the complaint of PSO Surender Kumar Rai and investigation was already taken up, the written FIR received from the wives was clubbed with the case as per legal procedure, Khandu said.
“The final report along with all the documents and materials have been submitted to the court of CJM Yupia on October 24 last year. The state cabinet in its meeting on February 18 last decided to forward the note ’Mere Vichaar’ to the union Home Ministry for investigation by any agency as deemed fit and accordingly the note along with the minutes of the cabinet meeting was forwarded to the ministry on March 3 last,” the chief minister added.
Autonomous Council:
Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday informed that the assembly on February 16, 2004 had passed a resolution to include the state in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to enable creation of Autonomous District Council in certain areas requiring special administrative and faster economic development.
Responding to a question raised by Nabam Tuki during question hour, Khandu further informed that the assembly also passed a resolution for creation of Autonomous District Councils for Tirap and Changlang (Patkai region) and Tawang and West Kameng (Mon region) and to request the Centre for special financial assistance for setting up these councils.
Replying to another question the chief minister informed that the union Home Ministry (North East Division) vide an order of January 31, 2014 set up a committee headed by Joint Secretary (NE) consisting representatives of Panchati Raj ministry, tribal affairs ministry, DoNER and state government to examine the issues including need for setting up of two autonomous councils and functioning of panchayati raj institutions in the state.
Khandu said the committee visited Tirap, Changlang and Tawang and the recommendation was awaited.
The state government furnished the information sought by the Home ministry for creation of the two autonomous councils, he added.
Unemployment:
Labour and Employment Minister Kumar Waii informed the assembly that in the year 2014 the total candidates registered in employment exchanges of the state was 50,453 and during 2015 it increased to 57,396.
Responding to a question from Gabriel D Wansu during question hour Waii informed that the state government has kept special provision for the unemployed youths in the 2017-18 budget.
Fund allocation for power:
Responding to a question from Congress member Nabam Tuki, Power Minister Tamiyo Taga informed that the Sagalee electrical division was created during 2013-14 which is functioning in the sub-divisional office.
He said, no fund had been provided for construction of residential and non-residential buildings in the current financial year.
To another question, Taga informed that allocation of resources depend on annual budget for the infrastructure creation earmarked to the power sector.
“It is proposed to provide budget provision this year subject to availability of funds,” he added.
Subject teachers at Borduria:
Education Minister Honchun Ngandam in response to a question raised in the assembly during questionhour by Wanglin Lowangdong informed that the Government higher secondary school at Borduria was upgraded in December 22, 2009 and posts of PGT for different subjects of Humanities stream have not been sanctioned so far.
He said, proposal along with number of posts to be created against the school have already been processed for sanction.
