Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu stated that the state should seek to become a Gateway of Trade with its neighbours by 2047.

He said that the state had enormous internal and international commercial potential since it shares borders with nations such as Tibet (China), Myanmar, and Bhutan.

He stated that, in line with the Government of India's focus on Neighbourhood First Policy, the state's commercial connections may be expanded further by utilising connectivity linkages such as the Pangsau Pass (with Myanmar) in the east and the Lumla-Tashigang route (with Bhutan) in the west.

Khandu emphasised the need of promoting sustainable and organic agriculture in the state, noting that with a population density of barely 17 people per square km, Arunachal Pradesh offers vast tracts of rich land for farming.

"We have all of the meteorological conditions necessary for agricultural and horticulture produces, from the foothills to the snow-clad mountains." And because we are physically the largest state in the North East, we have enough of room to focus on and improve in this area," he said.

He told the audience that the state government's primary goal is to create an Atma Nirbhar Arunachal Pradesh by strengthening agriculture and allied sectors, boosting output quality, and improving the livelihoods of the dependent population.

By implementing AtmaNirbhar Krishi Yojana and AtmaNirbhar Bagwani Yojana – two unique programmes in which 40% of the entire project cost is carried by the state government, 40% supplied as credit linkage from banks, and just 20% contributed by the farmer – we hope to make Arunachal self-sufficient in food grains and emerge as the country's fruit bowl," he added.