ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday called for the construction of at least six new airports across the northeast to connect the region with Asean countries.Speaking at the second ASEAN-India Youth Summit in Guwahati, Khandu said since the aerial distance between the Asean region and the northeast is short, six new airports will help enhance air connectivity. “The way forward is to build greater cultural exchanges and strengthen trade ties,” the chief minister pointed out.Khandu also spoke on the cultural diversity and geographical vastness of Arunachal. Though people often feel that there is a single cultural entity across the northeast, even a single state like Arunachal has more than 26 tribes and 100 sub-tribes, he said. “Arunachal is making tremendous progress in improving air, rail, digital and road connectivity. Earlier the state used to have fewer roads but now, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have roads connecting the remote corners of the state,” he added.On air connectivity, the chief minister said that all seven Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) built during 1960s have been rebuilt and operationalised. “Once the airport in Itanagar comes up, the ALGs, along with one civilian airport at Tezu, will improve air connectivity services,” Khandu said.The chief minister also spoke on the enormous potential of the state in the sectors of tourism, hydropower, agriculture and horticulture. He added that the state has vast land resources which are yet to be exploited to its full extent.Khandu also took part in an interactive session on ‘Northeast as India’s Gateway to Asean’. Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and his Tripura counterpart Biplab Deb also attended the summit, an official communiqué said.

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