Pul seeks Rs 12,000 cr assistance from PM for flood affected

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction Rs 12,000 crore for reconstruction of the disaster stricken state affected by recent natural calamities.
Pul while apprising the PM on the flood situation, said the disaster that struck the state was of unexpected proportions triggered by unprecedented and torrential pre-monsoon rains, an official release said here today.
The Chief Minister, who called on the PM yesterday, informed several districts including Tawang have been severely affected, with 21 persons losing their lives. Basic infrastructure has also been completely devastated in the pre-monsoon deluge.
Landslides, fissures and massive landslips triggered by high intensity and consistent rains have rendered basic amenities like drinking water, electricity, telecommunications etc in the state non-functional, he said.

"Whatever resources were allocated to the state under the NDRF and the SDRF have been utilised for providing immediate relief to the people and no major restoration work could be taken up," Pul said.
The Chief Minister said the challenge today was not of an immediate mitigation of hardships caused by disasters, but more of a long term strategy which would help communities and the government in creating infrastructure, the release said.

Thanking the Prime Minister for sending a central team to assess the damage in Tawang, he said Rs 12,000 crore reconstruction package for the state would help assuage difficulties faced in the districts of Anjaw, Kurung Kumey, Changlang and Tirap.

On Chakma and Hajong refugee issue, the Centre agreed to file a separate curative petition in the Supreme Court in respect to their permanent settlement in the state, the release said.
The Prime Minister assured all support to the state in reconstruction activities and to mitigate disasters, it said adding, as immediate relief, the Centre released Rs 66 crore as flood assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the state.
Pul also called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the situation in Tawang and on security related issues in the state and sought additional companies of SSB and ITBP in Tawang and Bomdila and also additional CRPF companies for Kanubari bypolls.

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The Arunachal Pradesh CM also raised the issue of
Arunachal Bhavan at Navi Mumbai, which is facing notice for cancellation of allotment being issued by CIDCO.
He requested the Maharashtra government for consideration of Arunachal's case sympathetically, as a number of patients coming to Mumbai, as well as a large number of students, desperately needed the accommodation at the premises.
Pul also requested for an additional plot in Mumbai to which Fadnavis agreed to allot a plot of land near the Chhattisgarh government plot, for creation of a new Deputy Resident Commissioner's establishment.
Stressing on confidence building measures, Pul said that the two states of Arunachal and Maharashtra has seen an increase in visitors exchange and time has now come for the states to acknowledge this visits and the fact that we are drawing closer despite the great distance that separates us.

To boost such exchanges Pul said that the proposed Liaison Office of the Arunachal Pradesh government at Mumbai, which would be supervised by an officer of the rank of Deputy Resident Commissioner would not only be useful for our people who come to Mumbai for education and healthcare, but would also be of help to tourists and people on business trips for getting information about Arunachal as well as to get the Inner Line Permit (ILP) that is required for travel to Arunachal, Pul added.