Arunachal budget session begins

Arunachal Pradesh has identified economic growth, agriculture, services and infrastructure development as its main thrust areas, Governor Gen (Retd) J J Singh said addressing the Assembly on the opening day of the 2013-2014 budget session today.
The government has given due importance to agriculture and the growth rate in this sector during the 11th plan was three times the national average.
"If we continue with this impressive performance, we will achieve food security for all by 2017," the governor said in his address.
To harness the advantages which accrue through mechanisation of agriculture, the Chief Minister's Agriculture Mechanisation Programme was launched during the year which would provide benefits to more than 1,700 small farmers in the state, he said.

Besides, a new bee-keeping programme has also been undertaken to benefit 190 farmers in producing honey, wax and candle and proposal for construction of a shopping mall at Naharlagun for selling agricultural produces was made by the government.
He said during the 12th plan period, the state government would lay stress and focus on intensification of cash crops, double cropping, market linkage and cold storage facilities.

"Floriculture, large cardamom, ginger and medicinal plants will be the focus areas in this year," he added.
Claiming that Arunachal Pradesh had remained by and large peaceful during the year with a marked improvement on the law and order front, the governor said the state government was able to largely neutralise the "bandh culture".

"There has been praise worthy coordination between army, para military and state police forces which has led to the elimination of 13 underground cadres beside arrest of 107 others with recovery of a large cache of arms, ammunitions and explosive materials during the year," Singh said.