mar16 27

March 27

2011

2016

Pul releases over Rs 100 Cr NPS amount

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Kalikho Pul while looking into welfare measures of the Govt employees has released long pending National Pension System (NPS) amount of Rs 156,92,20,754 today.

The said NPS amount was kept as reserve fund under the Head of Account 8342 for the last seven years from 2008 to 2015 (till date) thereby denying due benefits of the subscribers (Govt employees) from the New Pension Scheme.

The state Govt adopted NPS w.e.f. 1.1.2008 and the amount of subscriptions were deposited through treasury challan to the Head of Account 8342-00-117 by the subscribers. The amount has to be withdrawn and upload the same to the concerned subscribers’ Permanent Retirement Account No.(PRAN) maintained by National Security Depository Limited (NSDL). The standing NPS amount excluding interest pending for uploading is Rs 156,92,20,754/- since its adoption.

Chief Minister has approved for release of the said amount and directed the Director of Accounts and Treasuries who is the Account Officer of NPS to upload it to the National Security Depository Limited (NSDL) latest by March 31 so that the subscribers get their due benefits from the scheme.

At present, the state Govt. has 10,000 Permanent Retirement Account No. holders and 13026 Subscribers under NPS.

While taking cognizance of the student welfare and especially to the much delight of the ITI Trainees and the Craft Centre Trainees across the state, the state govt. has enhanced the stipends of the ITI and Craft Centre Trainees from the existing old rate of Rs 550 to Rs 1400 per month.

Arunachalee farmer receives National Innovative Farmer Award

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: Former army man and progressive farmer of Ziro Valley in Lower Subansiri district Tilling Tadi, 65, has been honored with “ICAR-IARI Innovative Farmer Award,” one of most prestigious national awards, on the concluding day of the National Agriculture Fair 2016 ‘Krishi Unnati’ at Mela Ground of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi on March 21.

The award comprises a certificate and memento which was presented to him on the occasion by Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister in presence of Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan and Mohanbhai Kundariya, Union Ministers of State for Agriculture.

While sharing his innovative ideas and experiences in farming among the fellow farmers, scientists and the gathering attending the mela, Tadi expressed his gratitude to the nation with the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ for giving him the opportunity to serve the motherland as soldier (Jawan) in his younger days and presently as a farmer (Kisan).

Tadi is a pioneer in rice-fish culture and has carried the legacy from his father. This award will certainly encourage the younger generation and the fellow farmers to adopt modern technologies in agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry in the days to come, stated a release from ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand.

CM determined to clear all files before end of fiscal year

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: With the financial year-end approaching, Chief Minister Kalikho Pul who is also the Minister of Planning and Finance is determined to clear all the files and project proposals of the Govt. before the end of the fiscal year as he is of the view that not even a single penny of the govt. should go unspent and the public should not be inconvenienced in any way.

The Appropriation Bill No.1 for Supplementary grants of demands in the Revised Estimate for the year 2015-16 was passed on March 23 last in the Budget Session of the Assembly and the Governor gave assent to it on March 24. However, the amount reflected in the Revised Estimate cannot be spent before the assent of the Governor was received, and hence approval for projects needed to be put on hold.

With a view to ensure that no govt. programme is left out for reasons of timeline delays, the Chief Minister, who is known for his ability to put in long hours at work, has passed instructions for the closing date to be extended till March 31 this year unlike the earlier years where the closing date for the financial year end was normally kept on March 24 or 25.

It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister and his team in the finance & planning departments worked round the clock to table a full budget this year, though there was a plan of the previous government to present only a vote on account in the Assembly.

After the budget was passed, the Chief Minister has directed all departments to formulate an action plan for its timely execution, which he is going to supervise personally.

With this exercise, the CM is expecting that the programmes reflected in the budget in specific detail, will indeed get implemented on the ground and that the people of the State will actually benefit from the programmes envisaged.

Governor urges differently-abled persons to utilize their talent

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: Governor of Arunachal Pradesh J P Rajkhowa inaugurated the 15th All India Cultural Festival for the deaf at Guwahati on Saturday. Large numbers of participants from all over the country are attending the event. The Governor felicitated Miss India Deaf- 2016, Anjalika Lahon on the occasion.

In his inaugural address, the Governor exhorted the participants and the officials to strive to best of their abilities and reminded them that they are differently abled individuals. He advised all to do away with ‘deaf and dumb’ words and used ‘impaired’ to instill a better mind-set.

Impressed by the cultural programme presented by the participants, the Governor suggested for organising such competitive events in the Frontier State of Arunachal Pradesh. He said that such event will instill new zeal and confidence amongst the persons with physical challenges of the State.

While highlighting the endeavour of Donyi Polo Mission, through Donyi Polo Mission School for Hearing and Visually Impaired, the Governor informed the representatives from all over India of its successful works towards welfare of the persons with disabilities.

He also informed them of the Recycle Unit of the Schools and its products which he opined should be encouraged.

As a token of appreciation, the Governor gave financial assistance towards the Association and expressed his hope that it will continue to work for the welfare of the targeted people of the whole region.

The Assam Association of the Deaf (AAD) Executive President Dhirendra Deb Adhikari highlighting the achievement and background of the association which was established at Shillong in the year 1960 also informed that the Association has been striving for the welfare of physically challenged persons since its inception. It is very much concerned about education and employment of the deaf in both government and non-government organisation.

Kanak Sen Deka, Ex. President, Asom Sahitya Sabha, Rajkumar Panjabi, President, All India Deaf Arts & Cultural Society, B. Kalyan, Secretary General, All India Deaf Arts & Cultural Society, Tapan Kr. Sarma, Organizing Secretary and Biswa Narayan Goswami, Vice President, Assam Association of the Deaf also attended the function. (PRO to Governor)

Legal Aid Clinic opens

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: A Legal Aid Clinic was inaugurated by the Arunachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (APSLSA) Member Secretary Budi Habung in the complex of Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Hapoli at Ziro on Saturday.

The Legal Aid Clinic will have legal aid counsels who would provide free legal aid and counselling to the people.

On the occasion, a day-long legal awareness programme was also conducted by the APSLSA as part of its endeavour to popularise and make known the APSLSA activities and programmes to the people of Lower Subansiri district which was attended among others by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ziro, Komjum Tasso, Oju Mission Chairperson, Ratan Anya, members of Lower Subansiri District Bar Association, NGOs like Awaz, Ache Kuru besides, GBs of nearby villages. Speaking on the occasion, Budi Habung highlighted the role of the APSLSA while, Project Coordinator, Rosy Taba explained about procedures to avail victim compensation. An interactive session was also held wherein, the resource persons clarified the doubts raised by the participants.

Everything in the garden is ‘not’ Rosy

[ Maihu Mamai ]

The Kengkhu-Rangkatu Tea garden was established in the year 1995-96 by Jalan Inc. covering almost the entire upper foothills of about 120 hectares above the area of Kengkhu and Rangkatu villages of Changlang district. Click on ‘Google maps’ and you will get the whole geographical proximities of the tea garden lying around it. These two mentioned villages lies perpendicularly below the garden, which raises serious environmental and health concerns among the people. Because all the pesticides spread and used in the garden seeps down into these twin villages and even more so since all the drinkable waters so says passes through these gardens till the end of these villages.

Tea is a perennial plantation crop grown under mono culture providing favourable conditions for a variety of pests, therefore in order to control pest, tea planters heavily rely upon using of pesticides containing Endosulfun, DDT, Dicofol, cypermethrin and ethion etc. which are highly toxic substances to both man and its environment. Pesticides pollute soil, air and water directly. It can affect kidneys, foetus damage, risk of testicular and prostate cancer in man, breast cancer in women and mutagenic disorders.

While the harmful impact of pesticides also reduces the bio diversity of the region. During the recent years vital organ diseases have sprung unprecedentedly according to local reports. District-based governmental hospitals do not have the infrastructure to address and asses this alarming situation.

It is high time that the government of Arunachal Pradesh should come up with concrete policies on tea and other cash crop cultivation as it is becoming widespread vis-a-vis the growing environmental crisis faced by the state today.

Assam candidate takes up boundary issue as poll plank

Correspondent

RUKSIN, Mar 26: An independent candidate contesting in the Assam Legislative Assembly Election from Jonai (ST) Assembly Constituency has adopted Assam-Arunachal boundary issue as poll plank. The candidate in his election manifesto assured that he would pursue the State Governments of both the neighbouring states for an early and amicable solution to boundary problem, if he wins.

Independent contestant Satho Basumatary was addressing an election meeting at Neapalibasti located at inter-state boundary here on Saturday. He claimed that all the former MLAs from Jonai constituency have miserably failed to solve the boundary problem by taking the people of both sides in good confidence.

"Basumatary also said that he was compelled to contest the election due to the alleged inactive role of the former MLAs.

Society appeals Govt. to extend validity of cheque

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: Arunachal Civil Society (ACS) has appealed to the State Government to extend the validity of cheques upto April 15 in the larger interest of the people of the State, particularly petty contractors.

ACS, in a press release, stated that clearance of numerous important government files even small LOCs for petty contractors got delayed and still sticking in the table of the Principal Secretary (Finance) and Secretary (Finance) following to political crisis/imposition of President’s Rule in the State.

Further, those files, which have reached the Chief Minister’s chamber, are also yet to get the approval of the Chief Minister, ACS said, and appealed to the Chief Minister to look into the matter and do the needful for clearance of all the pending files immediately.

AAPPTF raises issues of vehicle owners, tour operators before Tawang administration

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: The All Arunachal Pradesh Public Transport Federation (AAPPTF) led by its President Dobing Sonam during its district tour to Tawang on March 21 last submitted a memorandum to DC Duly Kamduk apprising him about the various issues being faced by the vehicle owners, tour operators, travel agencies and drivers of the district.

In order to boost the income of the locals, the federation also sat for a meeting with the DC and SP, put forward various resolutions in front of the duo.

The resolution passed in the meeting included, tourists visiting Tawang shall hire their vehicles at their respective destination. It shall be the duty of the hotel/lodge owners, NHPC/NOG’s, to inform the tourists about the decision and strictly comply with it.

Further it was also decided that all visiting tourists would have to hire a local tourist vehicle for local site seeing and the vehicles (any type) would be provided only from the AAPPTF’s district unit office. It was also informed that all local vehicles shall ply only under the authority of AAPPTF and none of the passes for Bumla Pass would be accepted until and unless it is authorized by the federation’s unit.

Meanwhile, it was informed that the DC and SP both appreciating the decisions have assured to look into resolution passed by the federation at the earliest.

Among others, AAPPTF general secretary, Gyamar Talik, convenor, Kutung Jomoh, IPR Sanju Gyadi, vehicle owners, tour operators, travel agencies and drivers of the district were also present in the meeting.

Women trained on fish drying method

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: In all, 33 farm women including members of Angun Bedang Self Help Group were imparted training on fish preservation by using salting and sun drying method hygienically, during an East Siang ATMA sponsored day-long hands-on training-cum-demonstration programme on fish drying method by using low cost solar dryer at Napit village on Saturday.

During the training which was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra and College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agriculture University, Pasighat, Fisheries Subject Matter Specialist, SM Hussain demonstrated the methods of construction of low cost solar dryer and process of fish drying.

The low cost solar dryer can be constructed by utilizing locally available material viz. bamboo, wood, white and black polythene sheet.

PPA founding member calls on Pul

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: Founding member of People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA), Kebom Nguba called on Chief Minister Kalikho Pul at his office today to congratulate him on being elected to the coveted post.

Nguba, a resident of Siloni village in West Siang district is one of the founding members of the party, along with Late Bakin Pertin and Tomo Riba, when the party first came into being in 1977.

The founding member was accorded a warm welcome by the chief minister who appreciated Nguba for his selfless dedication to the party in keeping it alive till today, acknowledging his loyalty.

Nguba expressed his happiness to see PPA government in Arunachal for the second time, since it first came to power in the state in 1979 when Riba became the chief minister.

Cleanliness drive conducted

AALO, Mar 26: Members of the Golden Jubilee Central Mopin Celebration Committee (GJCMCC) and Mothers’ Vision, a local NGO along with general public and government officials conducted a cleanliness drive at General Ground, Donyi Polo Dere and within the township area on Saturday.

During the drive the volunteers, cleaned the entire stretch of general ground where the mega cultural event and Mopin Tami contest will take place. (DIPRO)

ANM passes away

ITANAGAR, Mar 26: The All Arunachal Pradesh Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery Cadre Welfare Association (AAPANMCWA) has condoled the demise of Sister Joram Yakh who passed way on March 13 last at Heema hospital here.

Late Joram Yakh was posted at Pachin sub-centre. She has left behind her 15 days old male child and her husband.

Expressing shock over her demise, the association has prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and offered condolence to the bereaved family members.