Tuki bats for regional council for NE region

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today advocated for a regional council for North Eastern Region during a meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Tuki also gave an alternative suggestion for a Hill States Council (HSC) or a Himalayan States Council (HSC) due to similar strengths and challenges of these small states as they have low resource base, low population and had been a late starter in the journey of development, a CMO release said here.
Agreeing with the idea of a Mid-Term assessment of targets and achievements of the 12th Five Year Plan, Tuki suggested for rigorous joint review exercise with an aim to remove bottlenecks impeding the achievements of targets.

"NITI Aayog must continue to play the role of fund allocation to the states, specially to the special category states," he said and further opined that funds allocated to the states must be untied (in the specifics-micro details).
The Chief Minister reiterated for exempting the mandatory ten per cent state share for special category states like Arunachal Pradesh, the release said.
Tuki requested the Aayog to consider the recommendations of B K Chaturvedi-headed committee that had undertook a study relating to the development disability of the special category states.

He further urged for holistic view of fund allocation to Arunachal Pradesh and also pleaded for separate budgetary provisions for maintenance of already constructed projects.

"Cooperative federalism must be imbibed by all of us in achieving the larger goal of a strong and vibrant India.
"This can be achieved when the Centre appreciates the strong points of each state - both tangible and intangible and acknowledges the challenges," Tuki said.
He requested the NITI Aayog to consider Arunachal Pradesh on grounds of border management by developing border areas, to harness the hydro power and mineral potential of the state and provide a special package for the vast forest cover of the state, the release added.