Arunachal Pradesh, which is located along India's border with China, would get additional funds to bring more wasteland areas under cultivation.
This assurance was given by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday to Lok Sabha Member Takam Sanjoy.
Sanjoy had called on Ramesh to seek additional funds for covering more areas under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP).
Earlier, he along with state's Rural Development Minister Tanga Byaling had held discussions with the land resources department secretary under the ministry on the issue.
Moreover, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki had also endorsed the view in a letter to the union minister, which was the matter of discussion between Ramesh and the MP.
"I'm aware of the problems of the land-locked state, and therefore, would have special consideration for the tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh," Ramesh told Sanjoy, besides informing that the announcement he had made for Seppa-Lada Road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for improving connectivity of the land-locked state has also been sanctioned.
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Lada, the circle headquarters of the remote East Kameng district, is one of the 22 unconnected administrative centres of the state.
It may be recalled here, that Ramesh during his visit to the Himalayan state in February last, had announced a special housing package for Puroiks, besides assuring the chief minister of his ministry's full cooperation for state's speedy development.
Sanjoy urged Ramesh for funds for bringing at least two lakh hectares against the earmarked 45,000 lakh hectare as agriculture and horticulture are the mainstays of tribal people of state's agrarian-dominant communities.
This would facilitate to cover 60 assembly constituencies spread in 17 districts and serve as boon to the rural masses, mostly who live in far-flung and inaccessible areas. Moreover, the project is very popular amongst the farmers, local villagers, PRI Members and MLAs, Sanjoy said to drive home his opinion.
Only 45,000 lakh hectare area under the IWMP was approved during this fiscal (2013-14) against 3.97 lakh hactare earmarked. The area earmarked for 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-13 to 2016-17) is 15.87 lakh hectare.
Therefore, additional area would help the state government in enforcing poverty alleviation programme and employment generation, its top priority agenda, especially for encouraging massive rubber and tea cultivation, Sanjoy said to justify his plea.
