PM hits out at previous govts for neglecting NE
ITANAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Arunachal Pradesh’s first greenfield airport at Hollongi near Itanagar and dedicated the 600 MW Kameng hydro power station to the nation.
The PM also said that the region was neglected for decades, stalling the development of the states.
The airport located at Hollongi, around 15 km from state capital Itanagar, will link the border state to other Indian cities with commercial flights as well as other parts of Arunachal Pradesh through helicopter services.
Modi asked political commentators to stop seeing everything through the prism of politics.
The airport’s foundation stone was laid by Modi in February 2019.
“Political commentators had claimed (in 2019) that the laying of the foundation stone for the airport was an election gimmick. But today when there are no elections due, we are launching this airport. This airport is a slap on their face,” the prime minister said in his address.
He also highlighted the government’s efforts to develop all border villages under the Vibrant Border Village Programme which will give a boost to tourism and reduce migration in the region.
Earlier, hamlets in border areas were considered the “last village” but now they are considered the “first village” he said.
For long, Northeast was neglected while today, the region gets top priority when it comes to development, be it tourism or trade, telecom or textiles, he said.
Seven airports were built in the Northeast in the last eight
years, he said.
“Policy makers earlier only wanted to win elections while we only work for the development of the nation,” Modi said.
Modi also dedicated to the nation the 600 MW Kameng hydropower project in the northeastern state’s West Kameng district.
The Kameng hydropower project has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 8,450 crore in an area spread over more than 80 sq km.
It is expected to make Arunachal Pradesh a power-surplus state and benefit the national grid in terms of stability and integration.
He said the central government is going to spend Rs 50,000 crore in the near future for the infrastructural development of Arunachal Pradesh.
“Connectivity and energy infrastructure will bring a new dawn of development for the northeastern region,” Modi said.
He stressed the need for proper connectivity to remote areas of the state and said that 85 per cent of villages in the hill state are linked with Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna.
The development of the new airport will create huge opportunities in the field of cargo services. As a result, farmers of the state can now sell their produce to bigger markets, he said.
He said the farmers are reaping the benefits of PM Kisan Nidhi in the state.
“We are working on mission mode to carry the development forward to every house and village in the state,” the PM said.
Recalling a colonial law that barred the people of Arunachal Pradesh from harvesting bamboo, he said that the government is making a move to abolish the legislation.
He pointed out that bamboo is part of the lifestyle of the state and its cultivation is helping the people of the region to export bamboo products all over India and the world.
“Now you can cultivate, harvest and sell bamboo just like any other crop”, he added.
The priority of the government is that the poor lead a graceful life, the prime minister said.
Modi said that his government works 365 days, 24/7 for the development of this country.
“I inaugurate the projects, the foundation stones of which are laid by me. Gone are the days of laid-back attitude,” he said.
With the inauguration of the first greenfield airport, PM Modi said that North-East is witnessing a dawn of new hopes and opportunities.
“Today Northeast is witnessing a dawn of new hopes and opportunities. Today’s event is a great example of New India’s approach towards development,” he said.
PM Modi added that the Donyi Polo Airport is the fourth operational airport of Arunachal Pradesh.
“Donyi Polo Airport is the 4th operational airport of Arunachal Pradesh. Within 8 years, the government has constructed seven new airports which have improved connectivity,” he said.
Reiterating the motive of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas PM Modi said that the government is dedicated to serving all the sections of society with the motive of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.
“Today even the remotest corners of the North-Eastern region are electrified. And through Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY the treatment cost of up to Rs 5 lakh is made available to the NE Region,” he said.
Underlining the benefits the farmers received from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana he said that today 85 per cent of the rural areas are covered under PM Gram Sadak Yojana. The farmers of the northeast are benefiting from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
“Bamboo has been an important part of the North-East’s livelihood, which was restricted during the colonial regime. We changed these restrictive laws to empower our bamboo farmers to cultivate, add value and sell their produce,” PM added.
PM Modi also heaped praises on the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government which he said had made efforts to form a separate ministry for the development of the north east region.
“After Independence, the northeast became witness to a different era. For decades, the region remained a victim of negligence...When Atal Ji’s government came, for the first time efforts were made to change this. It was the 1st govt that made a separate ministry for northeast development,” he said.
Officials estimate that the airport will service some two million people in the region and help boost connectivity, trade and tourism.
He also launched a coffee-table book on the central government’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN.
Union law minister Kiren Rijiju, chief minister Pema Khandu and governor brig (retd) BD Mishra were present on the occasion.
The naming of the airport reflects the reverence of the indigenous people of Arunachal for the sun (Donyi) and the moon (Polo), Khandu said in his address.
The Donyi Polo Airport has been developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on over 690 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 645 crore.
It will have eight check-in counters and will be able to accommodate 200 passengers during peak hours, officials said.
With a 2,300-metre runway, the airport is suitable for all weather day operations.
There was no airport in Arunachal Pradesh, the country’s easternmost state. The closest facility was at Lilabari airport, 80 km away in Assam’s North Lakhimpur district.
However, there are a few advanced landing grounds in the state, including in Pasighat and Tezu.
A number of advanced landing grounds came up after 2014, Khandu said. He said that Arunachal Pradesh has a huge potential for hydroelectric power and several such projects have been approved by the central government.
Thanking the prime minister, he said that the Centre has approved Rs 40,000 crore for building 2,500 km of roads in the state. Terming the day as ‘historic’ for Arunachal Pradesh, Khandu said the greenfield airport took a little over three years for completion. “Economic activities will get a new boost and witness a sharp rise with the airport becoming functional,” he said.
Khandu said all the seven advanced landing grounds built in the state in the 1960s have been rebuilt and operationalised.
The chief minister said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and AAI will start air services within the state using fixed-wing Dornier 228 aircraft.
On the 600 MW Kameng Hydropower Station, Khandu said the run-of-the-river scheme to harness the hydropower of the Bichom and Tenga rivers (tributaries of Kameng river) got delayed due to various reasons for many years after construction began in February 2005.