Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today announced that a sum of Rs 150 to 200 crore would be provided to Arunachal Pradesh for developing science and technology in the state.
"The fund will be made available to the state by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Polymer Science and technology (PST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Earth Science (ES) for a period of five years," he told reporters at Naharlagun helipad before leaving for New Delhi.
The Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Science said his visit to the Himalayan state was "meaningful, fruitful" and that he gained a firsthand experience.
The climatic condition of the region, he said, was congenial for growing medicinal plants.
"Programme for medicinal plants cultivation in the state could be taken up under DBT, Indian Council of Medicinal Research (ICMR), CSIR, nutrition institutes like Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) and North East Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST)," he said.
Vardhan, who arrived here on Wednesday, visited Kimin in Papum Pare district yesterday and laid the foundation stone for Center for Bioresearches and Rural Technology Centre, to be implemented under DBT and DST (Department of Science & Technology).
He called for promoting traditional natural dyes in the state and setting up of Banana fibre extraction and processing cum-training unit for local entrepreneurs.
The BJP leader focused on implementation of Biotechnology projects like natural dyes, banana fibre extraction processing units, fruit processing units, mushroom production, medicinal and aromatic plant cultivation, orchid cultivation and vermiculture for rapid socio-economic development, besides creating facilities for marketing of their produce, particularly of rural people.
Vardhan added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was taking special care for the development of Arunachal Pradesh.
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Underlining Prime Minister's "special fondness" for the Northeast, Vardhan said Modi is keen for the developmental activities of the region and has given special instruction to all Union Ministers to visit the region.
"The Prime Minister firmly believes that exposure to the region will give the Union Ministers more in depth understanding and appreciation of developmental challenges of the region," he said.
Highlighting the achievements of the Centre, he said, "Under the NDA government, the rate of construction of highways has increased from 2-3 km to more than 20 km per day. 2.5 crore toilets have been constructed in rural areas and five lakh toilets have been built for the girl students."
"More than 1,60,000 km optic fibre cable has been laid to ensure Internet connection to remote places in the country and 25 crore bank accounts have been opened under the Jan Dhan Yojna," he added.
He also exhorted BJP workers to spread the party's message across Northeast, a party release said here.
"If the country has to grow, BJP has to grow and BJP will grow only if all karyakartas (workers) work sincerely and diligently on the line of philosophy and vision of great founding fathers of the party such as Dr Syama Prasad Mookerji, Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee," he said.
