Arunachal CM Pema Khandu calls on Sitharaman, seeks financial aid

New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu called on Union minister for finance and corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Tuesday. Khandu was accompanied by deputy chief minister Chowna Mein and Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao.

During the meeting, Khandu apprised the Union minister on the financial status of the state and sought financial assistance on development of critical social sector of health and education in the state.

Khandu urged for financial assistance for upgrade and development of Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Science (TRIHMS), besides making the tertiary care cancer treatment centre in the institute operational. He also urged for assistance over establishment of Ayurveda Medical College, Pharmacy College and funding for establishment of AIIMS-like autonomous institution in the state.

On the education sector, the CM sought assistance for meeting the infrastructure gap informing that the central government schemes on education have helped state government only to a certain extent. Seeking special financial assistance, the CM said piecemeal approach at infrastructure upgrade has not helped much and urged for transformational intervention and not incremental one.

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Besides education and health sector, Khandu also sought intervention for massive development thrust especially for insurgency-infested areas of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and for development of border areas along India-China border. Further, he sought maximum funding for construction of greenfield airport at Hollongi stating that Arunachal is the only state in India that does not have an airport in its state capital.

Also, to foster economic resilience and to make financial services at affordable costs to all individuals and businesses in the state, Khandu sought assistance for financial inclusion to benefit farmers, unemployed youths, senior citizens and needy people.