Acknowledging that the ghosts of the 1962 war with China had adversely affected development in Arunachal Pradesh, Deputy PM L.K. Advani today said that improving relations with the neighbour augur well for the border state.And the first palpable change would be the launch of mobile telephony by December-end. Even as Advani announced this, along with a Rs 250 crore economic package, he said the state had suffered ‘‘much injustice’’ due to apprehensions that any development in terms of infrastructure would help China.‘‘This feeling persisted after the 1962 war which had caught us unawares. The state was denied development in terms of roads, Information Technology and even mobile telephony,’’ he said. However, China’s attitude towards India was changing, as was evident from Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s recent visit to Beijing.‘‘Arunachal will benefit most from the improved relations,’’ he said, addressing a public meeting. Of the Rs 250 crore for the state, Advani said that Rs 200 crore was for a 500-bed referral hospital at Itanagar, the foundation stone for which he laid yesterday.He said Rs 30 crore was for the construction of a new Assembly building, and the remaining Rs 20 crore for upgrading the University. Advani said he would talk to Railways Minister Nitish Kumar for railway connectivity. He assured he would speak to the Finance Minister to get a Rs 200 crore loan converted into a grant. Referring to a memoranda given to him by CM Gegong Apang and Leader of the Opposition Mukut Mithi, Advani said he could not give any assurances on the demand for Rs 900 crore for the completion of unfinished projects.
