Itanagar: Defence Minister A K Antony has committed to providing connectivity to all areas of Arunachal Pradesh, a strategically situated frontier state of the country in the North East.
Antony made the commitment when Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki called on him in New Delhi last evening.
The Chief Minister apprised the Defence Minister of the status of several road projects, including those under Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Expressing concern over the inordinate delay in the completion of several road projects, he sought Mr Antony’s personal intervention in order to expedite the pace of works being carried out.
Antony, in a positive note, assured that providing connectivity to all areas of Arunachal Pradesh was one of his foremost priorities and he would fulfill it by taking it up with the authorities concerned.
Tuki further emphasised on the strategic importance of the famous but dilapidated Stilwell Road to enhance border trade, particularly along Pangsau Pass in Changlang district of the state bordering Myanmar.
He explicitly explained that the opening of the Stilwell road would open up vast avenues of trade with South East Asia, which had also been envisaged in the Look East Policy of the Government of India.
Both leaders also discussed various issues of strategic interest to the state as well as the country.
Later, the Chief Minister called on Minister of State for Defence Jitender Singh and impressed upon him for the early start of the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) at Dirang in West Kameng district.
Singh assured of laying the foundation of NIMAS during the later part of February.
He also stated that the Defence Minister would inaugurate the institute once completed.
Mr Tuki was accompanied by APCC president Mukut Mithi, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering, MP Takam Sanjoy and APYC vice-president Nyamar Karbak. (UNI)