Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Monday that the frontier state, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been marching in the right direction towards rapid progress and development.
While stating that the North East, including Arunachal Pradesh, had remained neglected prior to Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister, Khandu said that for the past eight and a-half years, lots of development activities have taken place in the entire Northeast and Arunachal Pradesh.
“As the Prime Minister always says that this country will develop only when the Northeast develops, I want to say with pride that the Northeast’s northeastern Arunachal Pradesh is making progress; this means the entire NE is progressing,” said the Chief Minister in his address at the 37th Statehood Day function at IG Park here today.
He added that Arunachal Pradesh’s challenges—be it in regard to connectivity—roads, railways, airways, or digital connectivity—are all being addressed by the Narendra Modi-led government.
Khandu said that it’s a matter of pride for us that President of India Droupadi Murmu has come and joined us in our Statehood Day celebrations.
He also welcomed Governor Lt. General (Retd.) KT Parnaik, who assumed the office recently, expressed confidence that “with his advice, we can take Arunachal’s development waves to new heights.”
Stating that Arunachal has completed 36 glorious years and entered its 37th year of statehood, Khandu said, “On this auspicious day, I remember and pay my humble tribute to all those leaders, Gaon Burahs, men and women, youth and the elderly, who contributed their might to ensure the glory and growth of the state. I salute those who work in tough terrains, ensuring government schemes’ rollout.”
Before concluding his speech, the Chief Minister appealed to all to rededicate their energy, in the true spirit of ‘Team Arunachal’, to take Arunachal Pradesh to new heights.
In his address, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, also the Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal West constituency, said that ‘our dream for the Frontier Highway is being materialised under the government and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, while adding that the Frontier Highway Project worth Rs 40,000 crore has already been sanctioned’.
Recalling Arunachal’s evolution over the years, the Union Minister said, “I believe that on this auspicious occasion of Statehood Day, we all have to take an oath again that if this country is to become great, then our state should also be made great. Arunachal Pradesh should also contribute to making this country great.”
He also said, “I want the young generation of our state to read the book titled ‘Unsung Heroes’ and they should realise how we have reached here.”
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, while welcoming the President and other dignitaries on the occasion, said that the Centre’s initiative ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ has given a platform to remember the unsung heroes of Arunachal Pradesh who valiantly fought against the British for the country’s independence.
He informed that the book ‘Unsung Heroes’ will be incorporated in the school curriculum to facilitate the children’s knowledge of the state’s past history.
