ITANAGAR, Feb 3 - Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein urged the Oil India Limited (OIL) to resume oil operations in the State and also to explore areas from where oil and natural gas can be extracted in the State.
Holding a meeting with the OIL officials from Assam�s Duliajan in his Civil Secretariat office here today, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the operation of oil extraction and setting up of oil and natural gas plants in the State will lead to more business activities, which would, in turn, add to the economy of the State and its people.
It would also help in setting up of more industries, as power will be generated from oil and natural gas plant, which would provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youth of the State, he pointed.
He also asked the OIL officials to take up social welfare activities for the people of the area concerned under the CSR programme.
During the meeting, Mein assured to take up the issues pertaining to Ningru Extension Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) in Changlang and Namsai districts of Arunachal Pradesh with the Chief Minister as the forest clearance of the projects, which is requisite for the re-grant of PML to OIL, is pending with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.
He also discussed issues regarding proposed setting up of a 10 MW natural gas plant at Kumchai under Diyun circle of Changlang and asked the officials to expedite the formalities for setting up the plant.
Minister for Geology & Mining Kamlung Mosang, who was also present at the meeting, urged the OIL officials to take up more employable activities in their area of operation with the provision of job reservation for the Arunachal youth, while citing that unemployment is the main cause of youth unrest today.
Earlier, OIL General Manager AK Baruah, while informing that the OIL had submitted the proposal for forest clearance towards re-grant of Ningru PML in 2004, which is pending with the Union Ministry, requested the State government to take up the matter with the Government of India.
Among others, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Chow Zingnu Namchoom, Commissioner (Geology & Mining) Hage Kojeen, DC of Namsai RK Sharma, PCCF Omkar Singh, CE (Power) O Moyong and Special Secretary, Geology & Mining, Mitali Namchoom attended the meeting.
