Where were the students' community when AU was being re-christened to RGU? - A second thought

In my earlier post I had questioned the students' community where were they when Arunachal University was being re-christened to Rajiv Gandhi University. In fact, I was  wrong when I questioned that, because it has been learnt from sources that while the Government was re-christening Arunachal University to Rajiv Gandhi University, not only did the students' community protested but the teaching fraternity of the then Arunachal University did protested too. But then, why the protest was not so strong so as to stop re-christening of the University? Was it because the legislators had assured them that this was the only way to get deemed University status? Or were there other reasons? Now, on second thought, would Arunachal University hadn't got University status had it not changed it's name?

NHPC to recruit 40 local youths from Arunachal

NHPC Limited- A PSU hydro giant working in Arunachal Pradesh has floated employment notice to recruit 40 indigenous Arunachalee youths in workmen category under their W0 and W4 grades against Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, located in Assam/Arunachal Pradesh, which I presume is in fulfilment to clause of MoU of Subansiri Lower HE Project signed with government of Arunachal Pradesh, recently.

Here are the details of that employment notice:

Employment Notice No. NH/SLP/01/2010 dated 16-03-2010

Post and Vacancy Details:

Sl.No.	Name of the Post, Grade & Scale of Pay	Prescribed qualification & experience	No. of Vacancies
1	Electrician Grade: W4 Pay Scale: 5800-3%-10790 (Pre-revised)	ITI Certificate in Electrician Trade from recognized Institute.	Unreserved-5; ST-3
2	Stenographer Gr-III Grade: W4 Pay Scale: 5800-3%-10790 (pre-revised)	Graduate (under 10+2+3) in any discipline from any recognized university with 80 wpm speed in English/Hindi shorthand and 40 wpm speed for English/Hindi typing. Experience :Two years post experience in relevant field. Computer literacy is essential	Unreserved-4; ST-3
3	Helper Grade: W0 Pay Scale: 3750-2.5%-5450 (Pre-revised)	8th Pass and above.	Unreserved-14; ST-11

The last date for submission of application form is 9^th of April, 2010.

Now I wonder, when the advertisement says the vacancy is purely for indigenous youths of Arunachal, is there any need for reserved and unreserved category in post vacancy?

For those who are interested to know the detail of advertisement, download the scanned copy of advertisement from here. And for those who are interested to apply for the same, download the application format here.

Myoko wishes

Team Arunachal Diary wishes it's reader a very Happy Myoko!

I know I've been bit late in wishing you all. Infact, I'd have forgotten that it's Myoko time had I not called Cho yesterday. When asked what's up, he said, "well, I'm preparing myself with my friends to go all out at Hong Village". I couldn't make out what he meant immediately, but then I realized, it's Myoko time and he along with his friends are preparing courtesy visit to 'Hong' friends for a bout of 'O' (rice beer). I said,"Enjoy". Did you asked, what about me? Well, I wouldn't be able to make it to Myoko this time. Poor me :(

But, don't you dare miss 'Myoko'. Wish you happy wining and dining again.

While at Arunachal Diary, you may like to read earlier posts on 'Myoko'. Follow the link below:

1. Myoko-A Perspective


2. Myoko Celebration of Apatani's-A Photo Feature


3. Construction of Lapang and Erection of Babo in Apatani Community - A Photo Feature

Almost 3 years and bank yet to recover it's overdue loan amount

One of the key thrust areas announced by the Government when Dorjee Khandu took over the reign of state from the then Chief Minister Gegong Apang was to revive the sick lone state owned bank Apex Bank and to re-instill the faith of customers'. In this direction, the state government had taken a loan of Rs. 225 Crores from Hydro Power giant NHPC Limited at an interest rate of 9% per annum to be adjusted against the 'free power' to the state from 2000 MW Subansiri Lower H.E. Project after its' commissioning. With that amount the government somehow managed to make the bank sail through the phase, when the bank was in the verge of collapsing and to retain its' license. And in order to re-instill the customers' loyalty, the government announced rigorous recovery drive from the defaulters and to hand over the inquiry to CBI for all the mess that the lone state owned bank fell into. That was during the second quarter of year 2007.

Now coming back to present, it has been around 3 years since the announcement and Dorjee Khandu has been re-instated to 2^nd term in office. So, where do our government stand on that front? Was the government or the bank able to completely recover the overdue loan amount from defaulting customers in these 3 years? I guess not. Because, through the March 18^th edition of 'The Arunachal Times', the Apex bank has announced launching of recovery drive from May, 1^st and has offered OTS (One Time Settlement) Scheme to settle the overdue loans of the defaulters.

Apex bank to launch recovery drive

ITANAGAR: Apex Bank authority has decided to launch recovery drive against defaulting borrowers from the first of May next.

The bank has launched one time settlement (OTS) scheme to settle the overdue loans of the defaulters, a release of the Bank said, and requested all the defaulters to opt for the scheme at the earliest.

The bank further appealed to the state and central govt authorities to obtain ‘no objection certificate’ from the bank before releasing any payment to their contractors/suppliers which would help the bank recover dues.

But, when government announced rigorous recovery drive almost 3 years back what took it so long for the bank to launch the recovery drive? But hey! if I remember well, didn't the bank earlier also announced one time settlement (OTS) scheme for settlement of overdue loans? If so, then how many more OTS scheme would be offered to the defaulting customers'? Is the bank and the government indeed serious about recovering the loaned out amount from the defaulting customers? Or as I put earlier, was it (announcement of rigorous recovery drive and CBI inquiry into the Apex Bank mismanagement) a gimmick just to subdue the initial outrage of people who felt cheated off their hard earned money?

Rambling on recent events of Arunachal

Government takes INR 300 crore loan to pay its' employees arrear

On March 11, Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, in a harried press conference at his official residence, announced with much fanfare that in order to keep his promise to it's employee to pay the balance 15th month arrears by March 2010; the Arunachal Pradesh Government has taken an interest free loan of Rs. 300 crore from Center payable in 20 years.

Well, may be with that move the government was able to provide a 'band-aid' solution to keep it's employees' happy but how do the government plan to pay the monthly salary of 80,000 odd employees in future when it says it does not have it's own resources? Also how do the government plan to repay the interest free loan amount of Rs. 300 Crores? Doesn't government creating liabilities for us? Should we always look upto the Centre with 'begging bowls' instead of thinking ways to create our own resources?

Anti-Dam equals Anti-Arunachal

During the same press conference, Chief Minister dubbed those protesting against dams in Arunachal as an anti-Arunachal. Oh my! with that statement Mr. Khandu stirred the 'hornet's nest'. Plethora of condemnation poured in right from ACR to those protesting against dams against his statement terming - his statement tries to curb the 'freedom of expression and freedom of right to live' and asked him to withdraw the statement. Of which the CM responded by saying that he was 'misquoted'. He assured that he is against any forceful displacement of population to materialize coming up of hydro-projects. Besides, Mr. Khandu stated that majority of the awarded hydro-power projects are RoR (Run-of the-River) scheme projects with no or negligible submergence.

There comes my question, though the same has been put forward by Bamang Tago, ACR Chairman as well. Well CM Sir, would you care to quantify how much submergence is called submergence or is negligible submergence or no submergence at all?

Considering the general layout of any hydro-electric power plant, I assume the hydropower plant requires a pondage for availability of water for generation and for creation of head. So, does RoR scheme Hydro Projects does not require pondage (in other words dams)?

While we are on the topic of dams in Arunachal, let me put some more words on it. Right from small to mega hydro projects, the state government has so far awarded about 100 projects to developers' with around 34000 MW of installed capacity. I wonder if such huge amount of hydro-potential needs to be tapped right now. The government says that it will earn revenue for state from sell of this power. But the question is, whom the state government envisage to sell this power to when it is said that owing to constraint in laying of transmission line in the 'chicken-neck corridor', there is constraint of evacuation of power to other beneficiary states out of North-East. It is said that the present capacity to evacuate power from the existing transmission line is only about 6000 MW. So, is it wise on our Governments part to award hydro-projects right and left without thinking of how to evacuate it? Why don't the government consider tapering tapping of hydro power potential of the state? Atleast it would give some time till the transmission utility company PGCIL overcome the present constraint of evacuating only about 6000 MW of power. And by the time may be people would also understand the merit and demerit of having hydro-power plants better.

AAPSU demands renaming of RGU to Arunachal University

On 18th, AAPSU staged dharna infront of Assembly demanding renaming of Rajiv Gandhi University back to Arunachal University. Though, I too agree that we should have our university named indigenously but, the question is where were the students' body when Arunachal University was re-christened Rajiv Gandhi University in the first place? Had they protested then and there, this situation would not have arrived. On the lighter note, would the government be bold enough to disgrace Gandhi dynasty by scrapping the Gandhi name from University when it has just got sanctioned loan amount of Rs. 300 Crore to pay to it's employees'?

NES demands creation of Department of Nyishi affairs in line of Department of Tirap and Changlang with annual budgetary allocation of Rs. 100 Crores.

I respect the concern of 'Elites' towards socio-economic development of their community and surely the government should look into the matter to develop the rural areas. But then wouldn't this demand sow seed for division of state on the basis of different communities of the state on the ground of development or non-development of their areas? What I feel is, it is not the quantum of amount sanctioned for particular area development but it is how the amount is utilized by the implementing agencies, which is much of siphoned off before it reaches to actual beneficiary. What do you say?

How to energize yourself at work?

Feeling tired! Bored! Or feeling low at work? Just take a swig or two..and voila you’re energized and it’s o.k. too says our Home Minister Tako Dabi.

Tako Dabi says it's ok for cops to drink while on duty.

Tako even emphasised on the fact that drinking on duty can help energise them.

"Normally an officer on duty or in office does not drink but in case they take a swig or two that is absolutely normal. Behaviour after drinking would be wrong. Look at us, how much do we drink. It is energizing," he said.

Source: NDTV

So, what if we are loitering around on the streets at night after a drink or two. Would we be questionable in front of law enforcing authorities? After all, we are just energizing ourselves, aren't we Mr. Minister?

P.S. : Arunachal Diary is back after a very long hiatus and wouldn't be far when it goes full swing again. However, for the time being frequency of post would be intermittent. Do check back for more.