Editor,
I would like to draw the attention of the state government and the general public towards a concerning disparity in our state: the exorbitant spending on ‘VIP culture’ versus the dilapidated condition of our educational institutions.
Year after year, crores of rupees are siphoned off for celebrations, state-sponsored festivals, and VIP visits. A recent example that highlights this misplaced priority is the chief minister’s visit to Siji, Lower Siang, for the inauguration of the district headquarters and various other projects.
While it is our tradition to welcome leaders with respect, the scale of expenditure is often unjustifiable. As per information available in the public domain, approximately Rs 35 lakhs was collected as donations from ‘well-wishers’, many of whom are likely contractors eyeing future work – along with departmental shares. In total, an estimated Rs 70 to Rs 80 lakhs was reportedly spent on temporary welcome gates, cultural troupes, and elaborate arrangements just for a single event.
This lavish showing off becomes difficult to digest when placed against the grim reality of our education sector. In the same district, schools across Kangku, Likabali, Gensi, and Sibe circles are in a dilapidated state. We are facing a severe shortage of teachers and crumbling infrastructure. It is a matter of public record that last year alone, 386 schools in the state were permanently closed due to zero enrolment. This lack of enrolment is not because students don’t exist, but because parents have lost faith in schools that have no teachers and have unsafe buildings.
The math is simple and painful: the Rs 50-60 lakhs burned on temporary decorations and one-day festivities could have been used to renovate multiple schools in the 28th Likabali assembly constituency. Alternatively, this amount could have funded the salaries of private teachers in staff-starved schools for an entire year, securing the future of hundreds of children.
We should only indulge in spending crores on VIP welcomes when our basic sectors – health, roads, and especially education – are in good health. Until then, these grand celebrations are nothing more than a wasteful display of vanity. It is time we prioritised permanent development over temporary applause.
Musa Bhaiya