Arunachal Pradesh has completed 25 years of statehood. It is of great strategic importance as China has laid repeated claims to parts of its territory. Defence Minister A.K. Antony said that making the international border of the state secure and non-porous was a topmost priority. The state shares over 1680 km of border with three countries and of that 1000 km with China. Antony also said that infrastructure development in the state needed to be speeded up. Proposals by the state government to provide connectivity and other infrastructure facilities to the sensitive area must be given serious consideration. The Defence Minister’s assurances came at a time when there were reports of Chinese incursion into several districts of the state. The Minister’s announcement of the Centre’s decision to raise a second battalion of the Arunachal Scouts, an auxiliary outfit of the army is welcome.
Chief Minister Nabam Tuki demanded that connectivity should be provided to 22 hitherto unconnected administrative centres. Suspension bridges, log bridges and porter tracks should be constructed. Antony referred to the Tezpur-Twang sector where the Border Roads Organisation had already executed work worth Rs. 2900 crores. He also assured the state of development of air links. Tuki asked for proposals for border development pending before the Planning Commission to be cleared expeditiously. There are other aspects to be highlighted. First, dams over rivers should be built to generate hydel power to meet the power shortage of the entire Northeast. That should improve the state’s relations with Assam and Nagaland. Second, the Congress high command has to remove persistent differences in the state unit and ensure that there should not be a frequent turnout of Chief Ministers. It is necessary for good governance and elimination of corruption.
