Itanagar: Top officials of the Army and Air Force (IAF) on Monday called on Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki to discuss core issues related to Army and IAF activities in the state. While Shillong based Eastern Air Command Air Vice Marshal Praveen Bhatt discussed issues related to DM (Designated Marskman) range of the IAF and other activities in the frontier state, Tezpur based 4 Corp GoC Lt Gen C A Krishnan took up the issues of land requisition and road communication in the border state for Army activities, official sources said.
Assuring cooperation from the state government for Army and IAF activities in the state, Tuki reiterated his appeal for taking into confidence the local populace wherever the Indian Armed Force operated or were based. Taking note of the raising of the second battalion of Arunachal Scouts, he requested the Army to recruit as many local youths as possible.
The Air Vice Marshall informed the CM that during recruitment for running of advanced landing grounds (ALGs) in the state, only eligible local youths would be preferred. Meanwhile, Tuki expressed his gratitude to Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh for his assurance to establish a Sainik School in Arunachal Pradesh during their last meeting at New Delhi. He assured to provide a suitable plot of land, possibly within the vicinity of the state capital, for establishment of the same.
On the issue of land acquisition for the army, Tuki asked the Chief Secretary to call a meeting of all concerned deputy commissioners and give a timeline for completion of the processes so that projects were implemented immediately without any hindrance, sources added. (PTI)