Arunachal to declare Kurung Kumey as one of backward districts

Itanagar, Oct 26 (UNI) The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly today resolved to declare Kurung Kumey district as one of the backward districts of the state, keeping in view its poor socio-economic conditions.

The resolution was adopted in the amended form after much debate on the private member resolution brought in the House by the BJP legislator Kipa Babu, who urged the state government to take steps to recognise and declare the district as backward.

Taking part in the discussion, Chief Minister Gegong Apang, while terming the resolution as ''genuine'', said since all the districts of the state were backward, there was no point to single out one particular district.

''We have already requested the Centre to declare entire 16 districts of the state as backward and all the facilities should be percolated down equally to all the districts without any discrimination,'' Mr Apang said and added the state government has already submitted a proposal to the Centre in this regard.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had already identified Upper Subansiri district of the state as backward and allocated Rs 45 crore for execution of the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (NREGS), which was to be completed within three years. The state government has been constantly pursuing the Centre to extend the scheme to other districts of the state, he added.

Earlier moving the resolution, the BJP MLA presented a picture of the infrastructure, education and health sectors of the district and informed that only 38.53 per cent of the villages in the district were connected by roads.

He also informed the House that the literacy rate of the district was very pathetic with 25.74 per cent male literacy rate followed by 7.14 per cent female. He suggested a revival policy for the district to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the people.

Taking part in the discussion, Finance Minister Kalikho Pul said merits and demerits should be judged before taking any decision as AP was a resource crunch state.

Informing that projects worth over Rs 91 crore have been undertaking in the district through loans from NABARD, Mr Pul pointed out that the state government attached priority on the development of Kurung Kumey district and the question of declaring it as a backward district did not arise.

Opposition Leader Kameng Dolo and Independent MLA Lokam Tassar also took part in the discussion. The House later adopted the resolution in its amended form through voice votes.

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