Itanagar, April 26: Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu recently visited Arunachal Pradesh to review the progress of various Centrally sponsored schemes in the northeastern state.
During his two-day visit, he expressed satisfaction over the smooth progress of all Centrally sponsored schemes, most of which are over 50% completed, and assured that there will be no dearth of funds to the border state from the Centre.
Tudu, who is the Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, appreciated the team effort of the Arunachal Pradesh government and advocated for cooperation between the Central and state government officials to ensure that the benefits of schemes are percolated down to the targeted beneficiaries.
He also admitted that certain criteria could be relaxed in areas where there are challenges in implementing projects due to harsh terrain and other factors, for which he would apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tudu also assured the state government that he would resolve a few schemes under the Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs ministry in the state, which are pending due to certain official procedures. He emphasized the importance of a positive approach to ensure that the state gets the required push to develop at par with other states.
The double-engine government, both at the Centre and the state, will leave no stone unturned to develop the land-locked state. Referring to the huge potential of the state in various sectors, Tudu asserted that the state would be developed by overcoming all challenges.
The state shares its borders with three countries and is strategic, which makes it the responsibility of the Centre to ensure that it gets the necessary support for development.
Tudu also expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the state, with almost 77% of the work completed. He informed that the state would complete its target to provide drinking water to all its citizens much ahead of the national target of 2024.
Regarding the delay in releasing scholarships to tribal students, the minister said that the disbursement process got delayed due to the delay in the submission of data by the state government. However, he assured that he would streamline the process.
Speaking on the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana and its implementation in the state, the union minister suggested that the rich tribal handicrafts of the state could be promoted through Van Dhan Vikash Kendra under the Van Dhan program spearheaded by TRIFED, in the country.
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The Van Dhan Yojana, a component of the ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP,’ was launched on April 14, 2018.
It is an initiative targeting livelihood generation for tribal people and transforming them into entrepreneurs, implemented by TRIFED as the nodal agency at the national level.
Tudu’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh highlights the importance of Central schemes in promoting development in the northeastern state.
The smooth progress of Centrally sponsored schemes, despite challenges in implementation, is a testament to the team effort of the Arunachal Pradesh government and the cooperation between Central and state government officials.
With the assurance of no dearth of funds from the Centre and the commitment of the double-engine government to leave no stone unturned, Arunachal Pradesh has a promising future ahead.
