Itanagar:
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday asserted that the Arunachal Frontier Highway, which will connect 12 districts along the India-China boundary, will be a “game changer” for the border areas of the state.
Speaking at the 39th Statehood Day celebrations here, Rijiju said that nearly Rs 42,000 crore will be invested into the project which is the “highest allocation ever made by the Centre for a single project”.
On the occasion, Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik also said that the state has been on the path of development and the government is committed to boost the infrastructure.
Arunachal became a full-fledged state on February 20, 1987. Till 1972, it was known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). It gained Union Territory status on January 20, 1972 and was renamed as Arunachal Pradesh.
“The Frontier Highway is going to be the largest road project in the history of India. It is going to be around 1,400 kilometres long, and close to Rs 42,000 crore will be invested. It is going to transform the border areas of the state,” Rijiju said.
The Arunachal Frontier Highway (AFH), officially notified as the National Highway NH-913 and also called Bomdila-Vijaynagar Highway (BVH), will start from Bomdila and pass through Nafra, Huri and Monigong. The stretch will culminate at Vijaynagar, near the India-Myanmar border, officials said.
Key places the highway will connect are Tawang, Mago, Upper Subansiri, Upper Siang, Mechuka, Tuting, Dibang Valley, Kibithoo, Changlang and Dong.
The project includes an 800-km greenfield section and a network of new tunnels and bridges along the India-China border, the officials said.
The Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister, however, expressed concern over potential hurdles due to compensation issues.
“My appeal to the people is, please don’t try to inflate bills to claim compensation. Don’t create obstructions. If a land issue comes up, it will delay projects,” he said.
He cited the East-West Corridor, also known as the Industrial Corridor, which is “facing delays due to compensation and forest clearance issues”.
Rijiju said that prior to 2014, securing allocations for a single project was difficult, but after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, the situation changed.
“Arunachal Pradesh is the most resourceful state in the country, but for development, peace is a prerequisite,” the minister said.
Unfurling the national tri-colour at IG Park here, the governor acknowledged the state’s remarkable progress but also emphasised the need to address the ongoing challenges.
Parnaik stressed the importance of education, urging efforts to reduce dropouts and ensure all children complete their studies.
He stated that when students complete their education, Arunachal can nurture its own teachers, engineers and doctors, reducing dependence on other states.
Focusing on cleanliness and environmental management, Parnaik urged citizens to work in a mission mode to maintain hygiene and manage waste efficiently.
“A green and well-planned state must be free from illegal structures, encroachments, and unregulated construction,” he said and called for village volunteers to take responsibility for cleanliness and suggested using technological solutions to convert waste into power and useful products.
The governor stressed that roads and highways should inspire travellers and that community efforts should play a role in maintaining a clean and organised environment.
On the drug menace in the state, Parnaik called for a two-pronged approach – prevention and rehabilitation, since it is eroding the social fabric.
He suggested using satellite imagery to track the cultivation of illicit substances and urged parents, community leaders, and teachers to report cases of addiction.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the newly framed rules under the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978 are not intended to target any religious community but to safeguard the indigenous culture and beliefs of the people, regardless of religion.
Khandu emphasised that the formulation of these rules was in response to a directive from the High Court.
He explained that while the Act has been in place for 46 years, it lacked a formal set of rules, which is now being addressed.
“The intention behind the new rules is not to target any specific religious group, be it Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, or Muslims, but rather to offer greater support to the indigenous people of the state,” Khandu said.
Highlighting his government’s achievements, Khandu announced that within the next ten years, the state is expected to generate annual revenue of Rs 10,000 crore from free power and equity shares in power projects.
Following the state’s request, the Narendra Modi government has approved a 26 per cent equity share in all power projects, he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
