Telecom development plan to provide 4G to 1683 villages, Pema Khandu

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the ambitious Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan to provide 4G mobile connectivity to 1683 remotely located villages in Arunachal Pradesh by 2022.

This will bring welcome change in people’s life by providing them the much needed digital empowerment, he said. Speaking on the occasion of 35th Statehood day, Khandu said, last year, due to intense hardships and unpredictability posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been a difficult year. However, despite the challenges, our Government has taken a slew of initiatives on various fronts to build a strong and self-reliant Arunachal Pradesh.

He said, “I extend my heartiest appreciation to each and every member of ‘Team Arunachal’, especially the doctors, health and other frontline workers, who for last 10 months have been working tirelessly to protect us from the COVID-19 pandemic. Four of our COVID-19 warriors have made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. I on behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, pay our heartfelt homage to these great souls”.

He said, “I am happy to inform that we have taken up a Rs 400 crore mission for upgrading the health infrastructure in the district. Around 400 staff nurses, 66 medical officers, and 34 specialists’ doctors have been recruited during the last few months. Of late, Drug trafficking and drug addiction has been a serious problem of our State. Despite appropriate steps being initiated to curb this menace, the youths are gradually being engulfed in such addictions. The State Government has set up de-addiction centres and have initiated number of supplementary programmes to bring the youths to mainstream. It is however the duty of each one of us to support our youths to come out from the dark sides of drugs and embrace the better side of self-development”.

He added that work on the ambitious Green Field Airport at Holongi is going on in full swing. By the year 2022, capital of Arunachal Pradesh would be in the aviation map of the country. “I am happy to inform that two units of 600 MW of the Kameng Project have already been commissioned. The work on Subansiri Lower Project is also going on in full speed. Entrepreneurship development has been another focus area of my Government. More than 200 entrepreneurs have benefitted under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swavalamban Yojana for taking up various sustainable and employment generating projects. Under Arunachal Pradesh Entrepreneurship Development Program, we have shortlisted 100 Start-ups through IIM, Calcutta Innovation Park. The top 50 winners will be placed under incubation and mentored by IIM, Kolkata”.

He added that to help the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Sector kick start their businesses Rs 70 crores loans have been sanctioned to 3,535 businesses under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme. To help the vulnerable section of society cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic, 769 loans have been approved under Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors’ Atma Nirbhar Nidhi scheme. In order to attract global investment into the state to harness its enormous economic potential, a Single Window Clearance Portal for obtaining Licenses / Permits / Renewals / Auto-Renewals Clearances / NOC’s online has been developed and will be operative soon. Business Journal