“Sun of development is shining in Arunachal Pradesh”: President Droupadi Murmu

Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], February 21 (ANI): Stating that “Sun of development is shining in Arunachal Pradesh”, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said that with rich natural resources and quality human resources, the state has the full potential to “become an attractive investment destination” and a hub of trade and business.

Addressing a special session of Arunachal Pradesh’s Legislative Assembly at Itaganar, the President said Arunachal Pradesh is an important part of the country and a “major stakeholder in India’s Act East Policy.”
Murmu said the Northeastern Region had long been deprived of the benefits of economic development due to a lack of road, rail and air connectivity. “But the Union Government is giving top priority to the connectivity and development in the Northeast,” she added.

The President said that in today’s era, environmental pollution and climate change are critical issues and “We have to find solutions to these concerns quickly. These matters become more important for a geographically sensitive state like Arunachal Pradesh.”

She was happy to note that the policymakers of this state have taken care of this issue.

“Arunachal Pradesh has resolved to show commitment to climate change through the Pakke Declaration,” she said and expressed hope that other states would also move towards adopting this model to tackle the issue of climate change.

In her address, Murmu also reminded that the foundation of modern democracy in Arunachal Pradesh started in 1967 with the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) Panchayat Raj Regulation at rural level. “In a chain of development after that, on August 15, 1975, Pradesh Council was converted into Provisional Legislative Assembly of Union Territory, ” she said.

“It’s a matter of delight that in that first Legislative Assembly,” the President said, “Sibo Kai was nominated as the first woman member. In the beginning, there were 33 members and their number increased to 60 on February 20, 1987, when Arunachal Pradesh was granted full statehood,” the President said.

From this small beginning to the present, the President said the state’s legislative assembly has covered a long journey. “For this, I congratulate all the past and current members,” she said.

Stating that discipline and decorum are the hallmarks of the parliamentary system, President Murmu said, “We must ensure that the content and quality of the debate is of the highest standard. At the same time, we need to build a consensus on the issues of development and public welfare.”