[ Nokgen Gandam ]
Longding district is situated in one of the most remote and geographically challenging regions of Arunachal Pradesh. The area is exclusively inhabited by the Wancho tribe, an indigenous community with deep-rooted socio-cultural affinities to tribal groups of neighbouring Nagaland.
The region is endowed with abundant natural beauty, lush green forests, pristine streams, and unpolluted air, offering immense ecological and environmental value. The Wancho people are known for their resilience, industrious nature, and a simple yet dignified way of life, living in close harmony with the natural environment.
The district shares an international border with Myanmar. Given its strategic yet fragile location, the region remains highly sensitive due to its proximity to the porous international border, which has historically witnessed the movement of insurgent elements.
Despite these complex security and logistical challenges, the local population continues to sustain their lives with remarkable resilience, relying on limited resources. However, their persistent exclusion from the broader economic and educational progress witnessed elsewhere in the state highlights a significant and longstanding developmental gap that requires urgent and sustained attention.
Fast-forwarding to the present state of growth and development, it is evident that, despite commendable individual efforts to overcome poverty and economic challenges, Longding district continues to experience deep-rooted deprivation and underdevelopment. While the persistent impact of insurgency has undoubtedly contributed to this stagnation, a more pressing and longstanding concern lies in the apparent neglect by key stakeholders, including the state government.
This pattern of insufficient attention, often perceived locally as ‘step-motherly treatment’, cannot merely be attributed to oversight. Though such perceptions may be dismissed by some as the sentiment of a credulous and unassuming population, the consistent lack of equitable investment and policy focus offers tangible grounds for this belief. The following points help illustrate why this concern is both valid and pressing.
Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that Longding district has been ranked least with a score of 58.71 in the Northeastern region district SDG index 2023-24. This ranking, based on key socioeconomic indicators aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), places the district as the most socio-economically challenged in the country.
Among the various dimensions of development, educational backwardness remains the most persistent, visible, and deeply concerning issue. Despite the presence of several government schools in the district, many are in a severely dilapidated condition and frequently lack subject-specific teachers. This shortage, coupled with the absence of basic educational resources and a conducive learning environment, has led to consistently low transition rates year after year. Disturbingly, students are often compelled to appear for board examinations without having been taught even the foundational chapters in core subjects such as science and mathematics.
While some may attribute this to a lack of student motivation or the economic constraints faced by families who choose government schools, such arguments overlook the systemic failures at play. Despite repeated appeals and grievances raised by the community, the evident lack of timely intervention and prioritization by relevant authorities strongly suggests a pattern of neglect. This ongoing apathy lends credence to the perception of differential treatment often described by the local populace as ‘step-motherly’ towards the district by the state administration.
Secondly, the minimal representation of individuals from the district in policy formulation and implementation at the bureaucratic level stands in contrast to the government’s stated commitment to inclusive and equitable growth across all regions and communities within the state. To address this disparity, the state government must either invest meaningfully in quality education, infrastructure, and exposure for local students and aspirants, or introduce appropriate mechanisms akin to reservations for relatively underrepresented and backward communities to ensure fair participation in governance.
Such provisions are not only legally permissible but also fall within the ambit of fundamental rights under Article 16(4) of the Indian Constitution, which allows for affirmative action in favour of disadvantaged groups. The continued silence of senior government functionaries and their apparent unwillingness to acknowledge or address these systemic gaps regrettably reflects a broader pattern of neglect and unequal treatment towards our region.
Thirdly, the ongoing security concerns including frequent incidents of kidnapping and widespread extortion of economically vulnerable villagers under the guise of taxation by unauthorized insurgent groups are well-documented issues within the district. However, the continued inaction and apparent apathy of the relevant stakeholders regrettably reflect a pattern of neglect that our region has long endured.
While the list of challenges could go on indefinitely, the purpose of this article is to bring to light the realities faced by our people, so that our fellow people of the state recognize the urgency of the situation. This is not a plea for sympathy or special treatment, but a dignified call for the recognition and fulfilment of our basic human rights. It is a call for our citizens to be active participants in the democratic process, not merely passive recipients of government programmes. The government’s promise of inclusive and equitable development across all states must translate into tangible outcomes. Doing so will not only improve our district’s performance across key indicators but also strengthen the state’s standing in the broader context of competitive federalism.
The story of Longding is not one of hopelessness, but of resilience in the face of chronic neglect. It is a district rich in natural beauty, cultural heritage, and human potential, yet burdened by systemic oversight, infrastructural decay, and persistent insecurity. The continued marginalization of Longding is not merely an administrative lapse but a breach of the promise of inclusive development that underpins our democracy.
If we are to genuinely uphold the principles of equity, justice, and balanced regional development, then Longding can no longer remain on the periphery of the state’s priorities. The people of this district are not asking for special treatment, they are demanding what is rightfully theirs: access to quality education, effective governance, equal representation, and a life of dignity free from fear and deprivation.
It is time for the state government and all relevant stakeholders to move beyond token gestures and deliver on their constitutional and moral obligations. Addressing the deep-rooted disparities facing Longding is not just a matter of policy correction; it is a test of the state’s commitment to its most vulnerable citizens. For only when every district, no matter how remote, is given the opportunity to thrive can we truly claim to be a progressive and inclusive state. (The contributor is a NITI fellow and a research scholar)
