June 03

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Copyright © 2008, The Arunachal Times Publications Pvt. Ltd., Siang House, Sector - E, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh - 791111, India

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Editorial

 

 

 

Judiciously use fund

It has become matter of embarrassment for the people of Arunachal to see successive state governments begging central government for every single rupee to fund the developmental project. Our ministers keep running to Delhi with folded hands seeking fund. But unfortunately they have not properly used the fund. Governments after government have rampantly misused the funds. Corruption is the root cause of this malaise. Infact Arunachal has acquired very bad reputation of being the most corrupted state.   

Recently when NITI AYOG team by CEO Amitabh Kant visited Itanagar, Chief Minister Kalikho Pul requested the Centre to consider special funding for the state on the lines of Special Plan Assistance (SPA) in a bid to ensure continued investment in critical infrastructure. Pul said the financial gain in case of Arunachal Pradesh, like other Special Category States, which are mostly resource crunched, was not so much as in the case of other general category states. Deputy Chief Minister Kameng Dolo also sought assistance for police modernization. At present there is no source of income generation and therefore state has no option but to beg centre. But how long will this continue? The present situation is deeply embarrassing and it affects the self confidence of the people of Arunachal. From now onwards, state government should start making long term plan, so that dependency on centre is reduced. Also government should judiciously use the developmental fund. The money should be equally distributed and no region should be deprived because of political equation.

 

 

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Readers’ Forum

 

 

 

Curb red-tapism for effective governance

Dear Editor,

Ever since JP Rajkhowa took over the charge as the Governor and Kalikko Pul, the CM of Arunachal Pradesh, there has been a positive change in public perception. Unlike   their predecessors who were consistently seen making lofty announcements and promises with almost a weekly  trip to New Delhi, this dispensation is more grass rooted and believe  more in action than words.

Some of the affirmative action by the duo especially doing  away with the culture of reckless appointments of Chairman, Vice Chairman, OSD’s, PRO’s, Advisors and not succumbing to the pressure of lifting the ban on officiating, adhoc, out of turn promotion and functional appointments to group ‘A’ posts have been widely appreciated cutting across party and ethnic lines.

Another important and effective initiative of the duo has been the constant and frequent monitoring of the development projects especially the strategic roads, bridges, buildings etc.

A survey of the important State Hospitals, police cheek gates, FCI godowns, major educational institutes including the student bodies at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong will clearly point towards generation of a healthy public perception and a sense of all being not lost in the state.

However, an area where the duo now needs to turn their attention is curbing the menace of Red Tapism frequently experienced by the common people as well as the educated lot. Although law has provided for right to timely delivery of services and redresal of complaints, the age old and rust proof institution of bureaucracy refuse to adhere to such laws and consider Red Tapism of public file as a matter of their inherent and inalienable  rights.

It is particularly true in Arunachal where the level of public awareness is less and every file clearance is imbedded with a bribe amount ranging from a hundred rupee note to bundle of thousand rupee notes depending upon the subject matter of the file. Luckily the babus from top to bottom are yet to face any sting operation and therefore go unabated with the culture of goose collection.

While in democracy, it is the elected representatives who are supreme and should therefore command but in Arunachal it is the babus who often dictate their masters with the help of their cobweb of rules and delay tactics. Although the babus know that all that glitters are not gold and there is something called matters of immense public interest, yet they are habituated in seeing every file as a glittering gold and even disregard the intervention of the Governor or the Chief Minister for early clearance of certain files.

Hope and pray that the two guardians of the Constitution and the People will take immediate cognisance of the above observation and initiate surprise checks of the files pending especially at the level of Secretaries and Commissioners. To cite an example, the Department of Administrative Reforms, whose job is to bring reformation in administration for larger public good, is still sitting on the file for appointment of Member/Chairman APPSE for last one and half years and thereby depriving the public of a full fledged Constitutional Body of four Members and a Chairman. Similar is the fate of the file pertaining to appointment of Chairman SIC.             

 Yours,

Mizum Lollen

 

 

 

Malicious initiative

Dear Editor,

The attempts of removing the name India and Hinduism from textbooks in US were unanimously protested by the North American diasporas; and the sinister attempt has been foiled. This well planned agenda of India bashing by a section of American intellectuals spearheaded by some Indian born US citizens is highly condemnable and have given rise to speculations of reasons far behind pure academics. It is quite unfortunate that Noble laureate Prof Amartya Sen and Prof Sugoto Bose who are so vocal in India on several non-issues on India never bothered to spare a single word on the matter; while several leading American academics and intellectuals strongly protested against such malicious initiative.

Yours,

Saikat Kumar Basu

Canada

 

 

 

Focus on resource generation

Dear Editor,

This is in response to the news item “Arunachal asks Centre for special funding” published on June 2.

While asking for our dues mandated under FFC has become an entitlement, our fundamental focus should be on generation of State own resources. We should consolidate source of income and side by side control expenditure. There should be no more post creations and rather, the govt should look at downsizing the bulging govt staff. Villagers and unemployed youth should be empowered through sustainable economic policy like forestry, horticulture, service delivery, tourism.

For long term resource generation, we should constantly pursue with centre to open up borders with China besides holistic approach on much taunted Dams. It is axiomatic to say opening up borders will bring sea change in economic dynamic of people and state overnight. As a landlocked state this is our only chance. While our allegiance to motherland is impeccable, our suffering because of quarrel between India & China deserves revisiting.

Yours,

@Ado Burang  

 

 

 

Nobody is above law

(I)

Dear Editor,

This is in response to the news item “Woman crushed to death by GREF truck, Orgs seeks action” published on June 2.

Most of the time, defence personnel try to protect their own even if they are on the wrong side. What impression they are trying to create about themselves is beyond a common man’s understanding. Often we are told to look at them as a role model, because they are sacrificing their lives for the country. But it is a farce; they are meaner, selfish, arrogant & rude and even more cowardly than the common man. This incident simply exemplifies their real character. The culprit should be booked as per law.

Yours,

@pikese

 

 

 

Dear Editor,

Army or GREF, nobody is above the law. Even generals can be prosecuted. Keep the medical report, witness, and FIR in proper record. These BRTF officials do not train their drivers’ proper road manners. These accidents occur because of failure to punish from their side.

I remember when my car was crashed by a BRTF truck’. I went to Commanding Officer and complained , his reply was ” arrey bhai delhi mein to har din accident hotey rahete hai ”.

If such is the nonchalant attitude of the officer then what can be that of driver. The result was that I narrowly escaped from the same driver after a months. This time I had to deal with him. I think that was better solution to make him see the point.

Yours,

@jun

 

 

Release SSA salary

Dear Editor,

Through your esteemed column, I wish to draw the kind attention of education dept. Since last four months (Feb-May), SSA teachers are starving.

We remember the promise of the CM to disburse the SSA teachers salary on monthly basis. However, we could not see it in deeds.

This is the month for the commencement of new academic session 2016-17. No one could work with empty stomach. Hence, I would like to appeal the education dept and the state govt to kindly disburse our four months pending salary within a week.

Yours,

B D, Naharlagun

 

 

 

TAH in Lower Subansiri

Dear Editor,

Trans Arunachal Highway( TAH) has became a nightmare for those living in Lower Subansiri or travelling via this district. There is pot hole in every inch of the narrow road due to rainfall and landslide. The concern authority is not doing maintenance as they are waiting for TAH to come.

I am happy to know that DC is taking initiative for construction of Potin-Yachuli-Hapoli-Ziro-Bopi TAH as published in this daily. But to my opinion, land assessment of this area has been twice, if I am not wrong.

Is it another technique of delaying the project as it was mentioned that compensation amount was too high in earlier assessment and that centre has rejected compensation rate twice?' Is there any new technique to reduce the compensation rate?

Yours,

AP Voice  

 

 

 

Counsel the youths

Dear Editor,

This is in response to the article “Other side of Reality Shows in Arunachal” by Maro Kocho published on June 2.

Menace of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, immorality and related crimes thereof are surging high in our NER where Arunachal is not an exception. Truly it’s an alarming situation with our future at Stake. Government has social responsibility but here in instant case society, family and clan based organizations should take lead in reaching houses and guiding our future generations. Parents are seldom bothered where our wards go after school/college. This is the loop hole in our day to day life where youths get leisure time and many get blown away by glamour, fantasy, drugs, alcoholism, immorality. Community and Clan based organizations, Religious groups should carry out counseling programs.

Yours,

@N Riba