ITANAGAR, Mar 21: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday held a crucial meeting with a visiting delegation from NITI Aayog at the State Civil Secretariat here, discussing strategies to accelerate the state’s development.
Expressing gratitude for NITI Aayog’s continuous support, Mein highlighted the state’s impressive socio-economic progress and announced the establishment of the Institute for Transforming Arunachal (ITA)—a policy think tank modeled after NITI Aayog. He sought technical and strategic assistance under the State Support Mission (SSM) to enhance its functioning.
He informed that the State Government has recently taken a decision to establish the Institute for Transforming Arunachal (ITA), modeled after NITI Aayog. He said that ITA would act as a think tank, setting the direction of development (Disha) and monitoring the impact (Dasha) to formulate effective policies. He sought technical and strategic support under the State Support Mission (SSM) for the functioning of ITA.
Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh’s impressive growth over the last decade, Mein said, the state’s GSDP surged by 135%, from Rs 20,373 Cr in 2016 to Rs 47,823 Cr in 2024, while GST collection increased by 584%, reflecting strong fiscal health.
He further noted that infrastructure development witnessed significant progress, with rural roads expanding by 251%, the National Highway network growing by 143%, and Donyi Polo Airport now equipped with all-weather and night-landing facilities.
He informed NITI Aayog that the financial year 2025-26 has been declared as the ‘Year of Human Capital’, with major investments in people, economy, and innovation.
Mein, in his concluding remarks, reiterated the government’s commitment to strategic investments, sustainable fiscal policies, and inclusive development. He announced the launch of an Infrastructure Monitoring Portal to track major projects and ensure timely execution. He stated that Arunachal Pradesh is on a firm path toward sustainable and integrated growth, setting new benchmarks for economic and social development.
Maj Gen (Retd) K Narayanan, Programme Director (Security & Law) and State Advisor to Arunachal at NITI Aayog, suggested the State government to prioritize key initiatives in tourism, infrastructure, governance, and digital transformation.
The Aayog suggested developing the Si-Na-Li-Ta Circuit in Upper Subansiri district -covering Siyum, Nacho, Limeking, and Taksing - to boost economic vibrancy through tourism, along with establishing Zemithang Model Village in Tawang as a model for rural transformation under 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 team also urged Arunachal Pradesh to leverage NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub to drive digital governance and technology-led development, ensuring that the State remains at the forefront of innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth.
The meeting was also attended by Principal Secretary Kaling Tayeng, Secretary (Planning & Investment) R K Sharma, Commissioners, Secretaries and DC Namsai & Longding, and officials from NITI Aayog and Planning & Investment Dept, among others.