Arunachal Pradesh may achieve food security by 2017: Governor

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh has identified economic growth, agriculture, services and infrastructure development as its main thrust areas, Governor General (Retd) JJ Singh said addressing the Assembly on the opening day of the 2013-2014 budget session today.

The government has given due importance to agriculture and the growth rate in this sector during the 11th plan was three times the national average.

“If we continue with this impressive performance, we will achieve food security for all by 2017,” the governor said in his address.[caption id=“attachment_663088” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Arunachal Pradesh Governor General (Retd.) JJ Singh. AFP[/caption]

To harness the advantages which accrue through mechanisation of agriculture, the Chief Minister’s Agriculture Mechanisation Programme was launched during the year which would provide benefits to more than 1,700 small farmers in the state, he said.

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Besides, a new bee-keeping programme has also been undertaken to benefit 190 farmers in producing honey, wax and candle and proposal for construction of a shopping mall at Naharlagun for selling agricultural produces was made by the government.

He said during the 12th plan period, the state government would lay stress and focus on intensification of cash crops, double cropping, market linkage and cold storage facilities.

“Floriculture, large cardamom, ginger and medicinal plants will be the focus areas in this year,” he added.

Claiming that Arunachal Pradesh had remained by and large peaceful during the year with a marked improvement on the law and order front, the governor said the state government was able to largely neutralise the “bandh culture”.

“There has been praise worthy coordination between army, paramilitary and state police forces which has led to the elimination of 13 underground cadres beside arrest of 107 others with recovery of a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosive materials during the year,” Singh said.

Singh said there was satisfactory development in the weaning away of certain left-wing extremist organisations which had started making forays into the state from Assam.

The Union home ministry had released Rs 10 crore for logistic support to the existing para military forces deployed in the state, while the state government had sanctioned setting up of an all women police station in the capital town as well as a women police cell in each district, he added.

Referring to the health sector, the governor said the Centre had approved setting up of two nursing schools at Naharlagun and Pasighat at a cost of Rs 10 crore under Arogya Nidhi Fund. Financial assistance of Rs 2 crore would be provided to patients suffering from serious diseases.

He said modalities for Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme are at the final stage and comprehensive and universal health care to all would be given from the next fiscal.

The government was contemplating to raise the literacy rate to 80 percent from the existing 66 percent and has already approved seven model degree colleges besides five polytechnic colleges at Dirang, Laying, Namsai, Pasighat and Roing from 2013-14 in four disciplines.

“The Saakshar Bharat Mission programme is now being implemented in 12 districts of the state to increase the literacy rate by reducing the number of adult illiterates. A targeted 1.56 lakh adult learners are enrolled under the programme,” the governor said.

PTI