Ahluwalia assures Arunachal of help for development

Itanagar, Feb 20 (PTI) Planning Commission deputychairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today assured ArunachalPradesh of all the help from the Centre for all-rounddevelopment of the land-locked mountain state.

"Arunachal shares 1,900 kilometers border with China,Myanmar and Bhutan, and efforts are being initiated toaccelerate development in all border areas of the state,"Ahluwalia said at a function that marked the silver jubileecelebrations of the birth of this state.

While inaugurating the Festival of Arunchal, the deputychairman said the prime minister�s developmental packageannounced during 2008 would be of immense help in thatdirection.

"There will be no dearth of fund but the state governmentshould endeavour for speedy implementation of the projects andjudicious utilisation of the developmental fund," he added.

Ahuliwalia also promised to consider project proposalssubmitted by the state government for infrastructuredevelopment.

The government has proposed infrastructure development in22 unconnected administrative circles in border areas, toprovide potable water in remote areas and development ofporter tracks and log bridges in sensitive border areas foreasy movement of defence personnel.

The deputy chairman congratulated the state for its rapidstrides since attaining statehood in 1987. Its road networkwas now 21,000 km compared to just 100 km in 1982 and 3,400 kmin 1987. Its literacy rate in 2001 census was recorded at 55per cent.