Mein asserts last mile  connectivity for orange growers

DAMBUK, Dec 18: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday assured to provide last mile connectivity for the benefit of the farming community in the state.
In a meeting with the public leaders at BJP Mandal President office here, Mein while responding to the grievances highlighted by the public of the area regarding the problems faced by the orange growers due to absent of road connectivity to most of the orange orchards located in hilly areas, he assured them to provide connectivity.
The deputy chief minister asked the farmers to submit the proposal in this regard to the government, a report from the PRO said.
Referring to the tourism and agriculture 
potentials of the state which could propel the engine for sustainable development, Mein further stated that efforts are on to prepare a youth and farmer friendly budget in the coming year.
He said that revolution in terms of infrastructure, agriculture and enterprise development is taking place in the state and urged the educated youths and the people of the area to be a contributor to the development. 
He further urged them to take optimum benefit of the government welfare schemes like Chief Minister’s Swalamban Yojana, Krishi Rinn Yojana and others under which government is providing loans on subsidized rate to encourage development of local enterprise and zero interest crop loan to the farmers. 
While addressing the party worker, he called upon them to strengthen the party in the grass root level by strengthening the booth level committee. 
He also urged the youth, Krishna and Mahilla Morcha not to limit themselves only to party activities but to educate the people about the government welfare schemes and to play an active role in taking the society forward.
WRD Parliamentary Secretary Gum Tayeng exhorted the party workers to work unitedly and whole heartedly for the upliftment of the party.
Poblung Village ASM Tokbom Saring while highlighting the grievances of the orange grower said that due to absent of road connectivity to most of the orange orchards in the area which are located in hilly areas, farmers of the area did not get the required benefits for their oranges as heavy expenses are involved in carrying them down to the road sides by head load and most of the fruits get damaged in the transportation. 
He requested the government to provide road connectivity to these orchards.
Public leaders and BJP mandal office bearers of Dambuk were present on the occasion, the report said.
Mein, who was on his way to Namsai, his home district during the day, inspected the ongoing flood protection work in the western bank of Dibang River at Bomjir.
The flood protection work is being carried out by Water Resource department funded under SIDF.
Tayeng informed that due to change in river course of the Dibang River in the last summer towards Bomjir, some portion of Zaktum Notko, the Artist Village set up for Orange Festival for Adventure & Music had been washed away. 
She opined that had the flood protection work been done in the last winter, the erosion and the damaged caused by the river water in the western bank could have been averted but due to lackadaisical attitude of some of the departmental officials, the work could not be done in the preceding winter.
Tayeng further stated that the fund provided under SIDF last year is not sufficient to carry out the required flood protection work and requested the DCM to provide additional fund for the purpose as the river water is threatening the entire Bomjir Village and the very approach road to Dibang Bridge which is nearing completion.
Mein while nodding to the seriousness of the issue assured to look into her demand and take up the matter with the chief minister, another report added.