Itanagar: The Union Home Ministry has okayed a 1,000-strong CRPF battalion for Arunachal Pradesh to help deal with strikes and bandhs in the state capital.
This was conveyed to Chief Minister Nabam Tuki by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde when he called on the latter in New Delhi yesterday, official sources said here on Friday.
“The Home Ministry has approved one CRPF battalion of 1,000 trained personnel for Itanagar to strengthen the law and order machinery and tackle… bandh culture in the capital,” sources said.
Tuki, accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy, also met Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. Tuki urged the minister to expedite the setting up of a Greenfield Airport in the state by taking up the issue of funding at the suitable level, including with Planning Commission and related agencies.
Singh, for his part, suggested that the litigation in Guwahati High Court related to the airport should be handled in a manner so as to ensure early disposal of the case.
Tuki also requested the minister to allot airports in the strategically important areas of Lumla and Tawang. Among other issues, they also discussed the scope for opening Advanced Landing Grounds at various locations in the state.
The matter of increasing the frequency of flights to Lilabari airport, too, was discussed, sources added.
Later in the day, Tuki met the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Veerappa Moily, at Shastri Bhavan.
During his meeting with Moily, Tuki highlighted his state’s natural resources potential and sought central government support to explore the same. They further discussed the scope for setting up an oil refinery in Changlang area.
With Tuki extending an invitation for Moily to visit Arunachal Pradesh, the Union minister said he may make a tour in October to study potential oilfields in the state.
Tuki also appealed to Moily for permission for the state government to start certain oil and natural gas exploration and extraction activities in the state.
When Tuki requested Moily’s help for setting up an Institute of Nursing and Para Medical Sciences at Miao, the Union minister sought a proposal from the state government for the project, sources added. (PTI)