Itanagar, May 13: Taking governance to the remotest corner, Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday made history by holding the State Cabinet meeting at Kibithu, the last outpost along the Indo-China (Tibet) border in Anjaw district. The meeting, held under the "Cabinet Aapke Dwar" initiative, marked a series of major decisions aimed at accelerating the state's development across sectors.
The Cabinet approved the formation of a joint venture company, M/s NEEPCO Arunachal Hydro Power Corporation Limited, between the State Government and NEEPCO for implementation of five hydroelectric projects in Shi-Yomi district – Tato I, Heo, Tato II, Naying, and Hirong. Of these, Tato I and Heo have already secured the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) clearance and are poised to begin construction.
Acknowledging the importance of hydropower in Arunachal Pradesh’s economic growth, the Cabinet modified the State Hydropower Policy, 2008, and the Local Area Development Fund Guidelines, 2022, allowing for 1% of free power from power producers to be contributed toward the welfare of project-affected areas.
In a ‘first’, the Cabinet restored the 144 MW Gongri HEP to M/s Dirang Energy Private Limited under the Arunachal Pradesh Restoration of Terminated Large Hydropower Policy, 2025.
To streamline hydropower implementation, the council of ministers approved restructuring of the Department of Hydropower Development, including offices at the Zonal, Circle and Division levels by allocating works to Chief Engineers and their subordinate officers in a basin-wise manner. Cabinet also sanctioned 96 new posts (84 technical and 12 non-technical), reaffirming the state’s commitment to the “Decade of Hydropower” vision. The Cabinet adopted the revised Teachers’ Transfer and Posting Policy, 2025, replacing the existing 2019-2020 policy. Transfers and postings will now be managed through an automated Teachers Registry Portal to ensure transparency and rational distribution of teaching and non-ministerial staff across Govt schools in the state.
Additionally, the Cabinet accorded approval for creation of 32 teaching and non-teaching posts for Arunachal Pradesh University, Pasighat. Cabinet also approved the “Marking Scheme for Direct Recruitment to the posts of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) and Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) Rules, 2025”, aligning with NCTE norms to fill subject-teacher gaps in the schools.
To enhance internal security and disaster response, the Cabinet sanctioned 200 Home Guard posts on a voluntary basis, aligning with the Arunachal Pradesh Home Guards Rules, 2023. These volunteers will be deployed across districts to support police operations and provide additional security at key locations such as highways, public service centers, and as emergency response units.
The Cabinet approved amendments to recruitment rules for posts in the Department of Land Management and sanctioned the restructuring of the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service (APCS) cadre. The number of Secretary-level posts will increase from 3 to 8 and Additional Secretary posts from 8 to 13. The post of Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) will now be redesignated as Assistant Commissioner. The Personnel Department has been tasked to examine cadre encadrement and related issues within two months.
To improve service delivery, the Cabinet approved a tripartite agreement with the Government of India and the Capacity Building Commission under Mission Karmayogi for need-based training of state employees.
Further, Deputy Commissioners will now be empowered to suspend erring district officials under specific circumstances. The Cabinet also launched the Mukhya Mantri Viksit Arunachal District Fellowship Program, under which 35 Fellows and 65 Assistant Fellows will be deployed across all districts to support developmental goals.
Cabinet also approved framing of the AP Boilers (Inquiry, Adjudication and Appeal) Rules, 2025 to streamline boiler-related adjudication. Cabinet further reviewed the status of the Niglok Industrial Growth Centre to boost industrialisation in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Cabinet also gave in principle approval for the Sunrise Festival in Anjaw district, recognizing Dong village as the first place which witnesses sunrise in India. The event will be developed into a curated, self-sustaining cultural festival aligned with New Year celebrations.