Def min's in-principle approval for 3 sainik schools

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today approved in-principle the establishment of three sainik schools in Arunachal Pradesh.

A CMO release said the proposed sainik schools would be at Tawang, Pasighat in East Siang district and in Tirap-Changlang-Longding (TCL) districts and Sitharaman gave her approval during a deliberation with Chief Minister Pema Khandu during her two-day visit here.

The proposal for establishment of an airport at Dirang in West Kameng district was discussed at the meeting and the defence minister assured to consider it, the release said.

Khandu raised the need to establish a cantonment in the state capital for which necessary land would be acquired and Sitharaman assured that it would be accorded high priority.
 

It was decided that the state land management minister would help in identifying 500 acres for the purpose and the defence ministry officials would undertake a joint survey and submit report to the ministry.

The chief minister also raised the issue of need for expansion of land for Tawang township and urged the defence minister to consider freeing up some idle land in the vicinity, the release said.

For this the defence minister directed the GOC-in-C of Eastern Command to look into the matter favourably and submit a report urgently after consulting the district administration and government officials.

Khandu stressed on the need to expedite the operationalisation of the Brigade headquarters in Tirap district to deal with the problem of insurgency in the region to which Sitharaman assured it would be made operational by December next year.

She assured Khandu that the BRO would be given clear directions for fast tracking of upgradation of the strategic Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road and all necessary funds would be provided for maintenance as well.

The defence minister also assured that the IAF infrastructural facilities in the ALGs would be permitted for civilian use and that requisite funds would be released for conducting survey for laying the strategic railway line from Missamari (Assam) to Tawang, it said.