April 20, 2024
April 20, 2024
*Staff REPORTER*
ITANAGAR, Mar 16: In a major boost for developing the border areas, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned a "special package" of Rs 55.14-crore for creation of 18 model villages in Arunachal Pradesh.
Under the package announced by the ministry, Singbir village in West Siang and Gelling village in Upper Siang districts bordering China would get Rs 12.5-crore each (including state share) to be converted into model villages.
The remaining 16 villages have been allocated an amount of Rs 2-crore each in the first phase.
The announcement was made on Friday by Union MoS for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
Speaking to newspersons at the Civil Secretariat here, Rijiju said this is for the first time that Arunachal has received such a huge “economical package” from the Home Ministry. Other ministries have already been announcing and implementing several developmental projects in the state.
“The model villages will have all the basic amenities and focus on sectors like health, water, electricity and infrastructure. Funds for the model villages would be separated from the regular border area development programme (BADP) that is funded annually to border areas,” Rijiju said.
The MoS also announced that his ministry, after recognising the contribution made by Vivekananda Kendra Vidhyalayas (VKVs) in the field of education, has sanctioned Rs 60-crore for four new VKVs to be established in the state besides another Rs 20-crore for upgrading the existing VKVs.
Under the special package, new VKVs would now be established at Anini (Dibang Valley district), Lazu (Tirap), Nafra (West Kameng) and Mukto in Tawang district while the other VKVs at Amilang (Anjaw district), Niusa (Longding), Koloriang (Kurung Kumey) and Chyang Tajo (East Kameng) would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 5-crore each.
All the four new schools would be established at Rs 15-crore each.
Rijiju also said that in order to strengthen the police infrastructure in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, the Home Ministry has further sanctioned Rs 212.85-crore.
This, he said would prove to be a solution to the major infrastructure issues the police department have been facing in the three bordering districts.
The minister further said that a new Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) sector headquarters would be established at Likabali and the ITBP Battalion headquarters which was supposed to be shifted to Dibrugarh would be retained at Basar in Lower Siang district.
The Home Ministry has also approved creation of two new India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) for Arunachal and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalion headquarters which would be established at Hollongi near here for Rs 153-crore.
"The ministry has in fact approved 10 new IRBn battalions for the entire North East out which two have been approved especially for Arunachal," Rijiju said.
He added that one post of IG, CISF has been created for the NE to be headquartered in Guwahati. "The IG will be posted in April," Rijiju said.
He later congratulated the people of Arunachal Pradesh for reaping the benefits of the government. He also appreciated the effort of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his team for concentrating on the implementation of the sanctioned projects in the state.
Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, PD Sona and Chief Secretary Satya Gopal also attended the conference.
