Stand united for allround development: Patil

Itanagar, Feb 20 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj V Patil today called for unification of various sections of the society for allround development of Arunachal Pradesh.

Attending the 21st statehood day celebration here this afternoon, Chief Minister Gegong Apang called for shedding of divisive tendency, which he said, has negative impact on the society.

''There is nothing that one can't achieve if unity prevails,'' he said, adding, unity is one of the most important aspect in nation building exercise.

Lauding the state government's effort in maintaining peace and tranquility in Arunachal Pradesh, Mr Patil said steps should be taken to maintain the same status in the years to come.

''Peace is in itself an award,'' Mr Patil said in response to the Chief Minister's plea for announcing peace bonus to Arunachal. He, however, advocated that the money to be granted as 'peace bonus' should be utilised for economic development of the state.

Arunachal Pradesh, with its hard working and peace loving people, is capable of being one of the world's richest provinces if all its natural resources are exploited to the optimum, he stated.

''We will do our best to develop available resources of Arunachal so as to use them in the best possible manner,'' he said, stressing the need for using genetic technology to harness all the genetic resources of the state.

Mr Patil also said the Northeast would be an ideal place for establishment of genetic institution and Rajiv Gandhi University here could be converted as a genetic study centre.

UNI