Arunachal Governor highlights state's achievements, challenges at Plenary meet in Tripura

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt. General KT Parnaik (Retd.) attended the 72nd Plenary of the North Eastern Council in Agartala, Tripura, on December 21, where he highlighted the achievements and challenges faced by the state in various sectors.

During the meet, he discussed the state's achievements in education, health, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, industry, law and order, youth affairs, women empowerment, and technology, as well as its commitment to Viksit Bharat, at the NEC forum.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said that Arunachal Pradesh is one of India’s most aspirational states, with significant focus always placed on fostering the development, growth, and empowerment of its young population. He stated that as the nation looks forward to the next twenty-five years of 'Amrit Kaal,' Arunachal Pradesh is fully committed to advancing the nation's goal of realizing a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.

The Governor stated that Arunachal Pradesh has made remarkable progress in reducing multidimensional poverty, with a 166 per cent increase in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) since 2015-16 and a 321.8 per cent rise in the state's own resources since 2014-15. He expressed pride in the state being recognized among the 'Front Runner States' on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) scorecard for 2023-2024.

He informed the regional forum that concerted efforts are being made to enhance education standards in the state, including strengthening Anganwadis, upgrading government schools, implementing NEP 2020, and incorporating technology through smart classes and the establishment of 'Advance Learning Centers' in districts.

The Governor also highlighted the state's focus on tourism development, which includes building infrastructure at key destinations, skilling youth as guides and tour operators, and focusing on marketing. He emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh has vast potential to develop eco-tourism, religious tourism, and adventure tourism.

The Governor, while highlighting the progress in agriculture and allied sector said that the State is producing 5,04,801 metric tonnes of cereals, including millets and 5000 MT of Kiwis. He emphasised the requirement of support from the Council of ‘Ware Houses’ for the storage and carriage of cereals and Kiwi products by Rail to enable marketing in the rest of the country and also export the same.

He said that Arunachal is nurturing a dynamic startup ecosystem with the Arunachal Pradesh Innovation and Investment Park (APIIP), actively supporting investment, startup growth, and enhancing Ease of Doing Business. He said that the State’s UNNATI Scheme is positioned to propel towards realising our industrial potential, while the focus remains on the ‘Non Polluting’ industry.

The Governor stated that Arunachal Pradesh has also made notable strides in law and order, including the launch of 14 Mahila Police Stations and 'Pink Patrolling' to safeguard women, as well as implementing GIS, AI, and ML-based crime monitoring in Itanagar as a pilot project. He added that the state's law enforcement personnel have undergone extensive training on the New Criminal Laws, 2023, and that legal professionals have also been trained to ensure preparedness for legislative changes.

He highlighted that six women from Arunachal Pradesh have scaled Mount Everest, and boys and girls from the state have been winning medals at national and international levels in Judo, Karate, Wushu, and Badminton. He emphasised that the state needs multidisciplinary sports stadiums and qualified coaches to prepare youth for competitions at national and international levels, a matter he has raised with the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Regarding social issues, the Governor said that women in Arunachal Pradesh are leading in education, sports, social welfare activities, and entrepreneurship. He pointed to numerous success stories of Self-Help Groups helping youth affected by drugs (through rehab centers), caring for special children (including those with autism, disabilities, and orphans), and promoting entrepreneurship. He also noted a noticeable increase in women's participation in political activities.

Looking toward 2047, the Governor stated that the vision for Arunachal Pradesh is one of leadership in technology and innovation, with growth harmonised with sustainability and environmental stewardship. He mentioned that a concerted effort is being made for the automation of all data at the district level to enable analysis and accurate updates.

While addressing the challenges of the state, the Governor acknowledged that financial inclusion and workforce capacity remain concerns. He shared that an initiative similar to Mission Karmayogi is being pursued to enhance skills at the grassroots level.

The Governor expressed his gratitude to the Union Government and the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) for their support to Arunachal Pradesh through the NEC. He stressed that the NEC, as a knowledge institution for the North Eastern Region, could play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges and advancing development goals.