Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein on Friday said that the state government is preparing a “short and long term plan” to make Arunachal Pradesh a self-reliant state and achieve the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan launched by the Centre.

Addressing reporters at the civil secretariat here, Mein said the short terms plan would focus on strengthening the state’s agriculture and its allied sectors, besides providing skill development training. “The most important lesson that the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us is to be self-reliant. We have to now start learning to use our own resources and for us our land is the biggest resource.”

Establishment of direct linkage for timely marketing of farm produce and setting up of large sabzi mandis (vegetable market) in various parts of the state are also some the areas the government is focusing on, he added.

He said the state’s cottage and small scale industries and micro, small and medium enterprises also need promotion along with the handloom and handicraft sectors to generate more employment.

Mein said the state cabinet would discuss the possibility of making some changes in the Government–e-Marketing (GeM) procurement system so that the locals can also sell their products through the portal. GeM is a one-stop portal to facilitate online procurement of common use goods and services required by various government departments/organisations and PSUs.

On long-term plans, the deputy chief minister said promotion of horticulture activities; especially tea and rubber plantations and citrus food processing, would be the main area of focus for the government. “Promotion of investment and industrial growth and the hospitality industry are also some of the other areas of ,” said Mein.

Complaint: The state unit of North East Human Rights Organisation (NEHRO) has filed a complaint before the National Human Rights Commission against the state government for “allegedly compromising with the safety of Covid-19 frontline warriors”.

The organisation, in its complaint on Thursday, said “Following its visit to Dirak check gate in Namsai district to verify Covid-19 preparedness, the members of the organisation saw that there was a complete lack of personal protection equipments (PPEs) for the sanitary staff and police personnel on duty.”

“This is a case of complete negligence from the government’s end. The government is risking the lives of all the frontline workers,”Buteng Tayeng, the state affairs secretary of the organisation, said.

Namsai superintendent of police Ankit Kumar Singh, however, denied the allegations and said that more than 1,000 PPEs have being provided to the frontline workers.

“We are also following all the standard operating procedures (SoPs) fixed by the central and state governments,” Singh said.

The SP, however, said the sanitary workers have not been given PPEs but they have been provided with all the other necessary equipment.

Calls made to Namsai deputy commissioner R.K. Sharma were not answered.