State Civil Aviation Minister Balo Raja has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, urging him to follow through on assurances made during meetings earlier this year in New Delhi.
“You had kindly assured us of introducing new flight services to additional southern cities, and also of commencing daily services between Itanagar and Delhi in parallel with the inauguration of the airport’s new terminal building,” Raja stated in his letter, a copy of which was released to the media on Thursday.
The Arunachal minister added that the state government had shared the Centre’s assurances with the public, leading to a surge in expectations among citizens eager for better air access.
Also read | Arunachal Pradesh shifts focus on tourism, culture and welfare; minister holds meeting in New Delhi
The new terminal at Donyi Polo Airport is nearing completion and is expected to be inaugurated in the first week of August. Raja urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to act promptly on its earlier commitments “in the larger public interest.”
“The people of this easternmost state of India had long dreamt of robust air connectivity, and it finally began to materialise with the inauguration of Donyi Polo Airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19, 2022,” Raja said.
He informed the Union Minister that Arunachal Pradesh will host the third North-East Aviation Summit in Itanagar on September 5, an event that had been discussed in their previous meetings.
Also read | World War II Museum to come up in Arunachal: State govt focussing on heritage tourism
Meanwhile, in a recent post on social media platform X, Khandu said that the state has witnessed significant economic transformation over the past decade, with the gross state domestic product (GSDP) recording a 166% increase between 2014 and 2024-25.
Highlighting the state’s progress under his government’s reform-oriented policies, Khandu said the number of Goods and Services Tax (GST) taxpayers has gone up by 141% since 2017-18, while per capita income has risen by 105% since 2016.
“Arunachal Pradesh is marching ahead with strong economic indicators,” the chief minister posted on X. According to the data shared by him, the state has seen a 731% increase in GST collection since the implementation of GST in 2017-18.
Similarly, the State’s Own Resources (SOR) surged by 384% between 2014-15 and 2024-25. Budget allocations for the state have grown by 218% between 2015-16 and 2025-26, reflecting a sustained focus on capital expenditure and inclusive development.
(With inputs from PTI)
