CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The huge diversity within the tribes and terrain of Arunachal Pradesh makes it difficult to frame uniform programmes and policies and makes effective implementation of the project all the more challenging and difficult, said union Minority Affairs Secretary Mukhmeet S. Bhatia on Wednesday. Bhatia, who is on a two-day official tour to Lower Subansiri district in the state to oversee the progress of two upcoming residential schools at Joram and Linia funded by the department of Minority Affairs, said there is a huge difference within the terrain of Arunachal Pradesh that needs to be taken into account for the effective formulation and implementation of government schemes and projects.
"Even within Arunachal Pradesh, there is so much difference between the tribes and terrains. There are vast differences in the projects being implemented at Itanagar, Ziro, and in border areas. Tougher the terrain, tougher the effective implementation of the project, and I am going to take this message back to New Delhi", he said. While inspecting the on-going construction works of the residential schools at Joram and Linia, Bhatia advised the implementing agencies not to compromise with the quality of work and to meet the completion deadlines on time. "If the state government releases the 10 per cent state matching share timely, the Centre will also equally release the second installments of these upcoming schools early and also sanction more similar schools in needy areas", he added.
The minority affairs department had sanctioned Rs 4 crore for Joram residential school and Rs 36 crore for Linia residential school, respectively. Bhatia further said that education and tourism were two key areas that had lots of potential for a hilly state like Arunachal Pradesh. "The state needs quite a number of good-quality schools and tourist attraction places. Outside investments and government funding in these two areas would do wonders for the state and the state exchequer," he opined.