Jaitley pledges support to Arunachal Pradesh on Greenfield airport

Itanagar: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has assured Arunachal Pradesh that the Centre will provide all possible support to the state for fast tracking the process to set up the Greenfield Airport at Hollongi.

The assurance came when Chief Minister Nabam Tuki met Jaitely in New Delhi Monday evening, an official statement said here on Tuesday.

While agreeing to the fact that the absence of an Airport in Arunachal Pradesh is an impediment towards all round development, Jaitley said that some kind of air connectivity should be provided even if it was on a smaller scale.

They also discussed the setting up of the Film, Television and Animation Institute in the state which was recently announced by the Centre.

Upon the invitation of the chief minister Jaitley has agreed to visit the state to lay the foundation of the Greenfield Airport and the Film Institute at Jote sometime in January next year, the statement said. Tuki also held a series of meetings with key central ministers and sought assistance on priority for overall development of the state. He also met Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyaland discussed the ways to strengthen and further the hydropower sector in the state. The chief minister apprised Goyal about the need to address issues like constitution of expert committee to expedite environmental clearances by the Centre and also touched on the continuing impasse over the Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project.

Goyal informed that his Ministry is co-ordinating with agencies such as Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Central Water Commission (CWC) to expedite the issues related to the hydropower projects in the state.

He said that the Centre is committed to exploit the hydropower potential in greater national interest.Tuki met Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram andOram said that he will expand the presence of Eklavya Model Residential Schools in the state and instructed his officials to examine the status of the said project at the outset, the statement said.

He advised the chief minister to improve sports infrastructure in the state to enable the talented tribal youth to develop their potential in various disciplines and assured his support towards the same, the statement added.