By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Itanagar : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday announced a Rs.11 billion development package for Arunachal Pradesh, including Rs.5.5 billion for taking electricity to villages along the Indo-China border.
Addressing a rally attended by about 20,000 people at the Indira Gandhi park in the state capital here, Manmohan Singh said the central government would provide Arunachal Pradesh with Rs.5 billion to build flood protection infrastructure.
The prime minister also announced that a 1,840-km trans-Arunachal highway would be built in a state notorious for its poor road connectivity.
This state capital would also get an airport, Manmohan Singh said, adding that four more airports in various parts of the mountainous state would be made operational once more.
The prime minister also initiated the process of bringing Arunachal Pradesh into the country’s railway map by laying the foundation stone of the line that will connect Itanagar to the nearest railhead, Harmoti in Assam.
Manmohan Singh’s speech contained more promises of development in education and healthcare sectors as well, fulfilling the hopes of Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who had told IANS earlier Thursday: “We are all waiting for the prime minister’s arrival and we hope he would announce many surprise gifts to the people of the state.”
This was the first visit by a prime minister to this state in more than 10 years.