ITANAGAR, 21 Mar: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has sought technical support from the NITI Aayog for a monorail system between Itanagar and Naharlagun to improve urban mobility.
He also requested for upgradation of the old administrative structures to enhance citizen service delivery in the state.
The DCM held a crucial meeting with a visiting delegation from the NITI Aayog at the state civil secretariat here on Friday.
Mein expressed gratitude to the NITI Aayog for its continued support, recognising its role in monitoring and enhancing the state’s socioeconomic performance. He stated that the NITI Aayog has been a partner in the development of Arunachal Pradesh and this partnership has helped refine policies and improve governance.
He informed that the state government recently took the decision to establish an Institute for Transforming Arunachal (ITA), modelled after the NITI Aayog. He said that the ITA would “act as a think tank, setting the direction of development and monitoring the impact to formulate effective policies.” He sought technical and strategic support from the NITI Aayog under the State Support Mission (SSM) for the functioning of the ITA.
He acknowledged the NITI Aayog’s contribution towards uplifting Arunachal’s aspirational district and three aspirational blocks – Chongkham, Tali, and Pongchau. He noted that this collaboration has driven socioeconomic development by improving key performance indicators (KPI) in these regions.
Mein highlighted Arunachal’s growth over the last decade. He stated that the state’s GSDP grew by 135%, from Rs 20,373 crores in 2016 to Rs 47,823 crores in 2024. He added that the state budget expanded by 218%, and GST collections surged by 584%, reflecting improved fiscal strength. He further noted that infrastructure development witnessed significant progress, with rural roads expanding by 251%, the national highway network growing by 143%, and the Donyi Polo Airport now equipped with all-weather and night-landing facilities.
He emphasised the achievements in education and health sectors, mentioning the establishment of the TRIHMS, Arunachal’s first medical college, and further highlighted that school dropout rates fell from 9% to 2.3%, demonstrating successful education reforms. He also stated that over 1.12 lakh women have been mobilised into self-help groups, promoting financial independence. Additionally, 455 remote villages have been included in the Vibrant Villages Programme to enhance border infrastructure.
Security & Law Programme Director K Narayanan and the NITI Aayog’s state adviser suggested to the Arunachal government to prioritise key initiatives in tourism, infrastructure, governance, and digital transformation. They suggested developing the Si-Na-Li-Ta circuit in Upper Subansiri, covering Siyum, Nacho, Limeking, and Taksing, to boost economic vibrancy through tourism, along with establishing Zemithang model village in Tawang, inspired by China’s Xiaokang villages, as a model for rural transformation under the NITI Aayog and central government schemes.
Additionally, they recommended strengthening financial support mechanisms, integrating Zemithang and Limeking into the aspirational block programme, and collaborating on initiatives such as the upcoming NCSRC hackathon and a study on aspirational blocks by the Kaizen Institute.
The meeting was attended also by Principal Secretary Kaling Tayeng, Planning & Investment Secretary RK Sharma, commissioners, secretaries, the DCs of Namsai and Longding, and officials from the NITI Aayog, the Planning & Investment Department, among others. (DCM’s PR Cell)
