Itanagar, March 30 (IANS) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday said that compared to 2016, the per capita income in the state jumped by 105 per cent this year, while GST collection increased by 584 per cent.
Speaking at a developmental meeting at Shergaon, West Kameng district, the Chief Minister said that the state’s owned resources, which were just Rs 900 crore in 2016, have risen to Rs 40,000 crore-plus this year. “Reformation, performance, transformation is leading Arunachal Pradesh on the path of accelerated development,” said Khandu and highlighted the quantum jump the state made in GSDP, state budget, per capita Income, GST collection and state-owned resources since he took over the reins in 2016.
Khandu first became a cabinet minister of the Chief Minister Nabam Tuki-led Congress government in May 2011 and again was inducted as a cabinet minister in June 2014 in the Nabam Tuki-led government after the 2014 Assembly election. Later, he joined the BJP and became Chief Minister of the state on July 17, 2016.
The Chief Minister informed that Arunachal Pradesh has made 135 per cent increase in GSDP from that of 2016. He thanked every stakeholder — from his cabinet and MLA colleagues, panchayat members to the Chief Secretary and officials in the districts — for the leap in development witnessed by the state in about 8-9 years.
“We are lucky to have a Prime Minister in Narendra Modi, who believes that India would progress only when India’s northeast progresses,” he said. Calling ‘Team Arunachal’ to maintain the tempo of progress, Khandu said that today, Arunachal Pradesh is at the centre stage and a topic of hot discussion across the country.
He said, “The reason is not only that we share international boundaries with three countries (China, Myanmar and Bhutan) but it’s also about us, our potentials and our pace of development in all spheres.” Citing road connectivity as one of the major contributors to development in the state, Khandu further informed that since 2016, rural connectivity has increased by 251 per cent and National Highways by 143 per cent.
“Connecting almost all unconnected areas and villages across the state was made possible by our futuristic Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Road Development Programme,” Khandu said. To a thunderous applause from those present, Khandu informed that realignment of the OKSRT (Orang-Kalaktang-Shergaon-Rupa-Tenga) road has been approved by the central government, which will shorten the Balemu-Kalaktang distance from the existing 50 km to about 19.2 km.
Earlier in the day, Khandu inaugurated 14 projects worth Rs 102 crore and laid the foundation for 21 new projects worth Rs 126 crore for the Kalaktang Assembly constituency of the West Kameng district. State’s Home Minister Mama Natung, BJP state President Kaling Moyong, local MLAs, former Chief Minister P.K. Thungon, former Speaker T N Thongdok, the Chief Secretary, among others, were present at the event.
–IANS
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