Itanagar | March 06, 2016: In order to create a strong resource base and gear up investments by harnessing the rich economic potential of the state, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has laid down modalities to improve revenue generation and to plug "leakage" of revenue in the state.
At a high level meeting with officials of the Mines and Minerals here today, the Chief Minister directed them to strengthen mines and mineral check gates in the districts.
He urged them to plug revenue leakages citing rampant extraction from quarries, an official communique said.
He directed the departmental officers to issue strict instructions to the permit holders to extract only the permissible quantity in addition to carrying out surprise checks.
He also directed them to conduct intensive survey to identify minerals and mine blocks across the state and assured them of all support for the survey.
Citing Tax and Excise as vital, Pul urged the department to strengthen the revenue component and check revenue leakages.
He instructed the authorities to issue directives to the Tax and Excise officers to be stationed in their respective posting places and make rounds of Border Facilitation Counters to ensure checking of revenue leakage.
High mast light in every check gate would be installed to increase visibility during night hours in order to make sure that no vehicles are able to sneak out without producing valid tax documents, the communique said.
Reiterating the vast potential of tourism in the state with scopes for expansion of eco-tourism, adventure tourism and cultural tourism, Pul emphasised on developing basic amenities like restaurants, hotels, motels, rest rooms, parking lots, wash rooms, drinking water etc to make the state more tourist friendly.
In the power and hydro power sector, the CM encouraged the departments to develop small hydels with the generating capacity from 10 KW to 500 KW in order to provide power to interior blocks so that it is made self-sufficient.
He also stressed on tapping the huge hydro-power potential of the state by developing mega projects to make the state self-sustainable and self-sufficient.
He asked the department to sensitise the local populace about positive aspects of hydro power projects and the prospect of area development which would pave way for betterment of the state in future.
Keeping in view the favourable climatic conditions for agricultural and horticultural crops in the state, he advocated to moot feasible plan to tap the huge resource.
"Agri-horti sector is also a massive revenue generating sector apart from ensuring economic growth of individual farmers," he quipped.
(Source: http://www.business-standard.com/)