Page 4 - Arunachal Pradesh

AFSPA extended for 6 months in several districts of Arunachal, Nagaland

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, under which an area is declared as "disturbed" for the convenience of security forces, has been extended in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh, eight districts of Nagaland and some other areas for six more months after a review of the law and order situation in these two northeastern states. The AFSPA gives armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas, sweeping powers to search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for "the maintenance of public order". An area or district is notified as a disturbed area under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces. In a notification, the Union home ministry said the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 had declared the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai distric

Centre extends AFSPA in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh for 6 months

The Ministry made the declaration through a notification, announcing Tirap, Changlang, and Longding among the three districts where AFSPA has been extended for the next six months

Arunachal CM Pema Khandu, 4 others set to get elected to assembly unopposed

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and four other BJP candidates are set to get elected as MLAs unopposed as no other candidate has filed nomination from their assembly seats on the last day of filing papers on Wednesday. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh will be held along with Lok Sabha polls. Voting for the 60-member assembly and two Lok Sabha constituencies -- Arunachal West and Arunachal East -- will be held on April 19. Fifteen candidates will also try their luck for the two Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern state. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on Thursday and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 30. The counting of votes for the Assembly polls will take place on June 2, while the Lok Sabha election results will be declared on June 4. "Single nomination paper has been filed in five assembly constituencies. We hope that a few more (seats) will be added by the last day of withdrawal," Khandu told PTI over the phone. This will be

Union minister Rijiju files nomination from Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday filed his nomination as the BJP candidate for the Arunachal West parliamentary constituency. Rijiju filed his papers at Aalo, the headquarters of West Siang district, election officials said. The Union Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries was accompanied by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MLAs Kento Jini and Nyamar Karbak. Arunachal Pradesh will have simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the first phase on April 19. The northeastern state has two Lok Sabha seats and 60 assembly constituencies. I appeal to the people to participate in the electoral process peacefully, Rijiju told reporters after filing his nomination. Former chief minister and president of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Nabam Tuki, also filed his nomination from the Arunachal West seat. Counting of votes for the assembly polls would take place on June 2, and for the Lok Sabha elections on June 4.

Hope govt gives strong rebuttal to China on Arunachal claims, says Kharge

Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India, the Congress asserted on Tuesday and called on the Modi government to come out with the "strongest rebuttal" to the Chinese on their "pathetic claims" on the state. China on Monday continued to claim that Arunachal Pradesh has "always been" its territory, notwithstanding India dismissing Beijing's claim as "absurd" and "ludicrous". On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated China's claim reacting to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's assertions on Saturday, dismissing China's repeated claims on Arunachal Pradesh as "ludicrous" . In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable, indistinguishable and inseparable part of India. "The Indian National Congress strongly condemns and opposes any idea of an iota of Chinese claims on Arunachal Pradesh. This is the fourth time in a month, that the Chinese, from its highest offices, h

EAM Jaishankar dismisses China's claims on Arunachal Pradesh as 'ludicrous'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday dismissed China's repeated claims on Arunachal Pradesh as "ludicrous" and asserted that the frontier state was a "natural part of India". In probably his first public comments on China's frequent claims on Arunachal Pradesh and its opposition to Indian leaders visiting the state, Jaishankar said it was not a new issue. "This is not a new issue. I mean China has laid claim, it has expanded its claim. The claims are ludicrous to begin with and remain ludicrous today," he said in response to a question on the Arunachal issue after delivering a lecture at the prestigious NUS Institute of South Asian Studies here. He emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh was a "natural part of India." "So, I think we've been very clear, very consistent on this. And I think you know that is something which will be part of the boundary discussions which are taking place," he said. Jaishankar's comments came days after the Ministry of External Affairs dismiss

'Arunachal is Indian territory': Here is what the US State Dept said

The United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and strongly opposes any attempts made to advance territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control, an official spokesperson has said, days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over the state following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit there. Earlier this week, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the "so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India". China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area Zangnan. On March 9, Prime Minister Modi dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel built at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh that will provide all-weather connectivity to ...

'Part of India': US rejects China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh

China 'opposes' US recognition of Arunachal as part of Indian territory

China on Thursday said it firmly opposes the US recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of Indian territory and affirmed that Washington has nothing to do with the India-China border dispute. It also accused the US of instigating and using other countries' disputes for selfish geopolitical interests. China's strong reaction came hours after US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel's remarks that the United States recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory. Patel also said, We (the US) strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing while replying to a question posed by the official Chinese media. The delimitation of the China-India boundary has not been completed, Lin said adding, Zangnan' (the official Chinese name for Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh was, is, will always be integral part of India, says MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said it has noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry "advancing absurd claims" over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state "was, is and will always be" an integral and inalienable part of India. The response from the MEA comes days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, calling the area an "inherent part of China's territory", in the wake of India rejecting Beijing's objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. "We have noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. The MEA statement said that it was in response to media queries on comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry regarding

Arunachal Pradesh 'inherent part of China's territory': Chinese military

The Chinese military has reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, calling the area an inherent part of China's territory", days after India rejected Beijing's objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. The Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India, official media here reported. Zhang made the remarks in response to India's enhancement of its military readiness through the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, according to a report posted on the Chinese Defence Ministry's website on Friday. China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area as Zangnan. India has repeatedly rejected China's territorial cla

NPP to support BJP candidates in Arunachal: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Sunday that his National People's Party (NPP) would not field any candidates in the two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh and support the BJP nominees. The NPP is a part of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre. "The National People's Party has decided not to contest the two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh. Being partners in the NDA, the NPP National Committee has decided to support NDA candidates in Arunachal Pradesh and has directed its State Committee to extend support to the NDA candidates," Sangma posted on X. Hailing Sangma's decision, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said such commitment of NDA partners will ensure over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections for the ruling alliance. "Such unparalleled commitment among our partners will ensure the NDA under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji secures over 400 seats. Thank you so much Shri @SangmaConrad Ji," Sarma posted on X. The BJP has named

Assembly elections: Schedule for Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal, Sikkim

Election Commission announces dates for state Assemblies which will be conducted alongside the Lok Sabha poll, from April 19

Centre sanctions over Rs 6,621 cr for frontier highway in Arunachal Pradesh

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the Centre has sanctioned an allocation of Rs 6,621.62 crore for construction of the ambitious frontier highway in Arunachal Pradesh. The allocation has been made for the construction of eight packages on National Highway 913 (Frontier Highway), transitioning to an intermediate lane configuration using the EPC mode, the minister said. The project spans a total length of 265.49 kilometres. Encompassed within this initiative are packages 1, 3 and 5 covering the Huri-Taliha section, two packages addressing the Bile-Migging section, packages 2 and 4 managing the Kharsang-Miao-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar section, and package 1 focusing on the Bomdila-Nafra-Lada section, the transport minister said. The development of these highway stretches holds promise for enhanced connectivity to border areas, fostering socio-economic growth in the state, he said. The construction of the frontier highway is anticipated to curb migration and facilitate reverse .

Arunachal govt announces additional 4% dearness allowance for its employees

The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced an additional 4 per cent dearness allowance (DA) for its employees, officials said on Tuesday. The hike, effective from January 1, will benefit 68,818 state government employees and 33,200 pensioners, they said. With this hike, the DA for employees and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners has reached 50 per cent. The state has to spend an additional Rs 124.20 crore per year for this, they added. "Under the guidance of Hon PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, our double-engine sarkar is committed to the welfare of all citizens, including those dedicated to delivering government services," Chief Minister Pema Khandu posted on X. "Let us continue to work diligently for the all-round, inclusive growth of Arunachal Pradesh," he added.

India rejects China's objection to PM Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh

India on Tuesday strongly rejected China's objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, and asserted that the state "was, is, and will" always be an integral and inalienable part of India. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Chinese side has been made aware of this "consistent position" on several occasions. Objecting to such visits by Indian leaders to Arunachal Pradesh or India's developmental projects in the state does not stand to reason, he said. "We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the prime minister to Arunachal Pradesh," he said. China on Monday said it lodged a diplomatic protest with India over Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last week, and reiterated its claim over the region by saying India's moves will "only complicate" the unresolved boundary question. Jaiswal said China's objection to such visits will not change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh "was, is, and will alw

Rahul's 'yatra' another miserably failed re-launch attempt, says Rijiju

Union minister Kiren Rijiju advised Rahul Gandhi on Thursday to stop pursuing endeavours that are beyond his capabilities as he claimed that the Congress has failed in every attempt to re-launch his political innings. In a video interview to PTI, Rijiju said had he faced similar failures as the Gandhi scion, he would not have wasted the "precious time" of his party and colleagues in trying to do something that was not doable. The three-term Lok Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh claimed that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is yet another attempt to launch Gandhi and that the former Congress president has failed in that endeavour miserably. "Elsewhere in the world, you do not get a second chance to be launched. I think he (Gandhi) has now been launched 19 times. How long will you keep on launching one person?" asked Rijiju, who has held diverse portfolios in the central government, including home affairs (minister of state), minority affairs, sports and youth affairs, law and now, earth

Govt approves Rs 6,728 cr for 8 stretches on Frontier Highway in Arunachal

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has approved an allocation of Rs 6,728.33 crore for constructing eight stretches on NH-913 (Frontier Highway) in Arunachal Pradesh as Intermediate Lane Road, spanning 305.50 km on Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode, an official statement said on Thursday. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a post on X said the development aims to enhance connectivity to border areas, fostering socio-economic progress. The Frontier Highway construction is expected to curb migration, encourage reverse habitation towards Arunachal Pradesh's border regions, Gadkari added. Furthermore, he said these frontier highway stretches will establish crucial road infrastructure, linking significant river basins, facilitating the development of numerous hydropower projects in the state. According to Gadkari, this predominantly greenfield road will connect sparsely populated Upper Arunachal areas, which are ideal for tourism,

Arunachal CM congratulates BRO for rescuing 70 stranded tourists in Tawang

Notably, Personnel from the Border Roads Organization on Friday rescued 70 tourists and locals who were stranded at the Sela Pass due to heavy snowfall

Focused on making Arunachal attractive investment destination: Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has emphasised his commitment to making Arunachal Pradesh an appealing investment destination in the coming years. Participating in a Deevar Lekhan Abhiyaan (wall painting) programme here on Tuesday, the Union Minister for Earth Sciences expressed his determination to double development activities and work towards increasing the GDP of the state. The event was organised by the BJP Capital unit at Nyokum Lapang area here. The minister, who drew a lotus, the party's symbol as a part of the national campaign, said the state government led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu is working for the all-round development of the state with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP state secretary and convenor of the programme Taring Tiri said the initiative aimed to encourage party karyakartas for a collective commitment to the party's goals. He said the wall painting programme is inclusive in nature. Tiri suggested that individuals who are not proficient in .