Prez stresses on better border infrastructure

ITANAGAR, FEB 20 (PTI): President Droupadi

Murmu Monday stressed on the need to build better infrastructure in the strategically located Arunachal Pradesh given that it shares borders with three countries.

Speaking on the occassion of the northeastern state’s 37th Statehood Day, Murmu said she was “happy to note” that several ambitious infrastructure projects were being taken up in Arunachal, which is also geographically, the largest state. Both India and China have been building a network of roads, bridges, tunnels, dams and airports to connect the border areas of Arunachal and eastern Tibet respectively. Troops from the two Asian giants have also had face-offs with each other in border areas in the recent past.

“For economic development and from security point of view the state needs to have better infrastructure.

I am happy to know that the Centre has sanctioned the Rs 40,000 crore ambitious Frontier Highway project for the state. Moreover, for development of national highways projects worth over 44,000 crore have been proposed in the state,” the President pointed out.

She added that the 600 mw Kameng hydro project in West Siang district inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra in November last year would make Arunachal a power surplus state in the country.

“With the inaugu -

Conrad rejects claims that he denied permission for PM rally

NEW DELHI, FEB 20

(PTI): Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma Monday denied accusations that he declined the Bharatiya Janata Party’s request to hold an election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the poll-bound state.

“All permissions come from the side of Election Commission of India and based on its direction, the district administration takes action. So there is no say from NPP or my side; dragging our (NPP and my) name into it is completely wrong. Even I haven’t gotten permissions for many of my rallies,” Meghalaya CM said in a press statement.

The NPP president further noted that such things happen during the elections but the BJP has made this into a big issue. ration of the state’s first green field airport – Donyi Polo Airport, air connectivity and trade potential will receive a major boost,” Murmu said.

“But we have already said in the beginning that the stadium has two parts. The first part consists of the Football Stadium, which is ready and it was inaugurated. The other part, which has indoor stadium and swimming pool, is not ready and we have made it clear. Only half is ready and the other part is not ready,” Sangma informed.

On Sunday, the BJP alleged that the ruling National People’s Party in Meghalaya denied permission to the party to hold a rally of PM Modi at Tura’s PA Sangma stadium, citing ‘construction work at the venue’.

The BJP had planned to organise a mega poll rally of Prime Minister Modi in Tura on 24 February.

The President, who also laid the foundation stone of a 40-km long double-lane road from Donyi Polo Airport to Naharlagun railway station on the occasion, said that the new road would ease travel for people.

Murmu also spoke on

Sitharaman to visit Sikkim for 4 days

GANGTOK, FEB 20

(IANS): Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will reach Sikkim on February 27 for a four-day visit to the state, a state government statement said on Monday. Chief Secretary V.B. Pathak chaired a preparatory meeting with senior government officials at the Tashiling Secretariat here on Monday to discuss matters related to security and facilitation of the Finance minister’s Sikkim visit. Pathak apprised the meeting about the Union minister’s outreach programme under the Ministry of Finance to sensitise citizens about the impact of the Union Budget and its expected implications. The Chief Secretary also gave a briefing regarding various logistics and other necessary details to be arranged for the Dinance Minister’s vicit.