President arriving in Arunachal today

CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR, March 31 – Amid a heightened security cover, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil is arriving on a three-day maiden visit to this frontier State of Arunachal Pradesh tomorrow.

The President will address the first convocation of North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), a deemed university, at Nirjuli, 18 km from the State capital here. Besides delivering the convocation address, she will confer the degrees of various under-graduate and post-graduate courses to the students who passed out during the years 2006 to 2008.

The first convocation of the premier institute, also marks its on-going silver jubilee celebrations.

After a night’s halt at the Raj Bhawan here, the President will leave for Tawang the next day where she will visit the Tawang Monastery and War Memorial. She is also expected to interact with the State Government officials there.

After returning from Tawang the same day, the President will visit the Itanagar-based Ramakrishna Mission Hospital and Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum in the afternoon.

In the evening, Patil will inaugurate ‘Arun Self-Help Mela’ here where she will have interaction with the members of more than 25 self-help groups (SHGs) and local NGO representatives. Being organised as a part of the State Government’s effort to promote entrepreneurship in the State, the mela is facilitating the local entrepreneurs to showcase their handicrafts and handloom products.

Before returning to the national capital on April 3, the President will fly to Kibithu area in Anjaw district of Arunachal bordering China, and the Lohit district headquarters of Tezu. The supreme commander of the armed forces, Patil, is expected to interact with the security personnel posted at Kibithu along the India-China border, informed sources said. ASSAM TRIBUNE