New Delhi: “We expect to see the rate of inflation in wholesale prices to come down to around 6 per cent by December,” said Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here at Vigyan Bhawan on 24 July last while addressing the 55th National Development Council (NDC), the highest policy making body comprising Chief Ministers and the Planning Commission. The PM hoped that normal rains expected this year would help bring down food prices and in turn ease inflation.

While Dr. Singh regretted that States were not paying due attention to farm sector — crucial to curbing inflation, he called for better agriculture performance which is crucial for food security and would help in tackling the problem of inflation.

In his address Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu highlighted the core issues of the state and appealed the forum to seriously view upon it. He reiterated the procedural bottleneck in getting various necessary clearances for critical projects thereby delaying it. He appealed the august house to set up a single window system for providing all mandatory clearances so that the fruit of development coming through such projects thus is reaped well in time.
Terming the Itanagar Greenfield Airport as a project of immense emotional and sentimental value for Arunachalee since the state is one of the only two in the country which do not have an airport of their own, Khandu said that the project of such importance have also been delayed for more than two years. He submitted that such projects should not be guided by cost-benefit analysis and should be supported more liberally by the central government.

While he advocated for effective border management and inclusive development of power sector in the state, the chief minister urged upon the center to support the efforts of Arunachal Government in these areas through technical and financial assistance.

Khandu pleaded for early sanction and execution of 132 KV Trans-Arunachal Grid, Drinking Water facility in Border blocks, Porter Tracks & Foot Suspension Bridges/Log bridges in border areas, ‘Connecting 22 unconnected Administrative Centers along the International Border’, strengthening of Police Infrastructure, and fund for clearing pending HTS bills for strengthening the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the state. He further appealed for providing adequate fund for smooth functioning of Public Distribution System in the state so that the food security among the people living in remote and scattered habitations along the international border is secured.

The chief minister while extending his sincere gratitude to the center for formulating various important schemes for the state’s development urged that a landlocked state like Arunachal Pradesh with a vast and sparsely populated area needs special consideration. “I would request our senior officer from Govt. of India to visit Arunachal before preparing any schemes for the state so as to know the ground realities” Khandu emphatically said. He urged the center to have a lenient approach towards the state in respect of population oriented schemes.

The NDC was called to approve the Mid-Term Appraisal of the Eleventh Plan, which listed power and infrastructure as areas of concern to attaining 9 to 10 per cent economic growth.

Beside the CM, Minister Finance Setong Sena, Parliamentary Secretary Planning Tsewang Dhondhup, Chief Secreatry Tabom Bam, Principal Resident Commissioner, Finance/ development Commissioner and Planning Secretary from the state were present.