Apang pleads for peace bonus to Arunachal

Itanagar, Feb 20 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang today urged the Centre to announce peace bonus for the state, which has been maintaining its status of 'Island of Peace', since its inception.

Addressing the 21st Statehood Day celebration here this afternoon, Mr Apang suggested that the bonus could be in the form of special developmental packages to the states, which maintains absolute peace, social and communal harmony.

Mr Apang also urged upon Union Home Minister Shivraj V Patil to ask the Planning Commission to liberally provide adequate financial allocation for rapid socio-economic development of the state.

''We do not want to be dependent upon the Centre permanently. We need the assistance for the next five years only,'' he said.

Stating that the state's economic potential was not confined to its natural resources, Mr Apang said if the Look East Policy is implemented properly, then the state could become one of the most important gateways of India to South East Asian countries for trade and commerce.

The Chief Minister also pleaded the Centre to speed up economic development in the state by creating infrastructure at par with the developed neighbouring countries.

UNI