Health policy for medicine procurement soon: Khandu

Itanagar, Sep 17 (UNI) Reiterating his government's ''no compromise attitude'' in the health sector, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has asserted that he would propose a policy for direct procurement of medicines and other equipment from the manufacturers to avoid delay and save cost.

Addressing a gathering at Tawang yesterday at the conclusion of his four-day trip to the district, the Chief Minister said, ''We must try our utmost to save the lives of the people,'' he said adding, ''We have been lagging behind in the industrial and tourism sectors too due to lack of proper policy. Therefore, new industrial and tourism policies are in the pipeline.'' He said the base depots established by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) indicated the state government's commitment to streamline the Public Distribution System (PDS), arrest pilfering of PDS items and ensure their delivery to the targeted beneficiaries.

Mr Khandu assured that the revived State Cooperative Apex Bank would function in a systematic manner under the chairmanship of either an official from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or the chief secretary.

Speaking about the second phase of the Kitpi power project, Mr Khandu, who also holds the power portfolio, said the project, left incomplete after its inception at the Nuranang hydel, would be completed by 2008.

He said the salaries of high altitude Border Roads Organisation workers had been increased, while the winter allowance for government servants would be uniform throughout the district.

The airport project too was being processed and a stadium for Tawang had already been sanctioned, sources added.

UNI