ITANAGAR, Nov 14: The State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, today approved a series of key decisions to strengthen school infrastructure, reward sporting excellence, streamline administration and enhance administrative efficiency along with major reforms to enhance the ease of living of citizens and promote the ease of doing business in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Cabinet approved the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for implementation of Mission Shikshit Arunachal by 2029, aimed at strengthening school infrastructure across the State. The Mission envisages an indicative financial outlay of Rs 1,500 crore for 2026-27 to 2028-29 on developing and upgrading core educational infrastructure such as classrooms, school buildings, hostels, teachers’ quarters etc. with the school as the unit on integrated planning. 
In the first phase of Mission Shikshit Arunachal, more than 800 schools have been upgraded with an investment of Rs 3,612 crore, including 120+ hostels, 152 science labs, and 159 libraries.
The second phase of Mission Shikshit Arunachal builds on this foundation, by adopting a structured mechanism for saturation coverage of essential educational infrastructure through district-based project identification and prioritization, execution and monitoring, backed by digital tracking, geo-tagging, financial audits and third-party verification to ensure transparency and accountability. The Mission will promote equitable access to quality education and improve learning outcomes for students, reflecting the State Government’s commitment to building a Shikshit Arunachal in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
The State Cabinet also approved the launch of the Chief Minister’s Sports Talent Appointment and Recognition Scheme (CM-STARS) scheme to provide direct Government employment to medal-winning athletes at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games and Commonwealth Games by amending the Arunachal Sports Policy, 2017. The scheme will provide athletes security and assured career opportunities, recognise excellence at major national and international events, motivate young people to pursue sports, and enable experienced athletes to contribute as players, coaches and sports administrators.
In a significant step towards enhancing ease of living for citizens and enhanced access to Government schemes and services, the Cabinet also approved amendments to the Arunachal Pradesh (Methods and Procedures of Delivery of Services) Rules, 2017 under the Arunachal Pradesh Right to Public Services Act, 2016 introducing automated appeal processing, direct financial accountability for defaulting public servants, and immediate payouts to affected citizens.The revised rules also provide for online filing and automatic escalation of appeals when a notified service is not delivered within the time limit. Under the revised rules, citizens can also claim compensatory costs in case of delays in service delivery and appeal disposal. 
The Cabinet also approved another reform towards promoting Ease of Doing Business by rationalising dual licensing requirements for 28 categories of establishments operating within municipal areas. Under the proposal, establishments possessing valid statutory licences, registrations or authorisations issued by competent Central or State Government authorities will no longer be required to obtain a separate municipal trade licence. 
The proposed reform aims to eliminate overlapping licensing procedures, reduce compliance burdens and facilitate business activities across the State. However, this will not exempt establishments from other applicable municipal requirements relating to building permissions, fire safety, sanitation, solid waste management, environmental protection and public health. 
These measures are aimed to build on previous steps taken by the State Government for creating an enabling environment for businesses and to attract investments in the State. It may be recalled that the Arunachal Pradesh Jan Vishwas Amendment Act, 2026 had been passed by the Legislative Assembly in its fifth session to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business by decriminalizing and rationalizing minor offences.
The State Cabinet also approved the revised “Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Policy of Rural and Urban Water Supply Systems”, marking a significant step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability, efficiency and reliability of drinking water supply infrastructure across Arunachal Pradesh. The Policy is designed to ensure water supply schemes remain functional throughout their designed service life. The revised policy has been formulated incorporating all 19 key points communicated by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, with a focus on strengthening institutional mechanisms, ensuring financial sustainability and promoting efficient management of water supply assets. A major thrust of the policy is on active participation of grassroots institutions, particularly Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), in managing the in-village components of rural water supply schemes, fostering community ownership and accountability.
Arunachal Pradesh had previously become the first State in North-East, and the tenth in the country, to achieve 100% Har Ghar Jal saturation under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The Ministry of Jal Shakti lists Arunachal Pradesh among the 11 States/UTs nationally with full Har Ghar Jal status as of April 2026. A cumulative expenditure over Rs 4,500 crore has been utilized under the Jal Jeevan Mission during 2016-26 to expand and strengthen drinking water infrastructure across the State.
The State Cabinet also approved the “Arunachal Pradesh Airport Development Authority Land Disposal Rules, 2026”under the provisions of the Arunachal Pradesh Airport Area Development Authority Act, 2026. The Rules are made to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the transparent, efficient and sustainable disposal and management of land vested in the Arunachal Pradesh Airport Area Development Authority. 
A key feature of the Rules is the retention of public ownership of land through a leasehold-based system, thereby safeguarding strategic public assets while facilitating private investment and economic development. The Rules also introduce modem mechanisms such as revenue-sharing leases, digital land disposal processes and structured rehabilitation measures. The Rules will support the planned development of Hollongi Aero-City, promote investment in commercial, residential, institutional, logistics and hospitality sectors, and generate substantial employment opportunities.
The Cabinet approved the signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Geology and Mining and Arunachal Pradesh Space Application Centre (APSAC), Itanagar, to strengthen the application of geospatial and space-based technologies in the mineral sector. This will facilitate mineral resource mapping through remote sensing and GIS, creation of a digital spatial database, use of satellite imagery and drone-based surveys, and development of tools for monitoring mining-related activities. It will also provide for technical support and capacity building of officers and staff of the Department. 
The Cabinet also approved enhancement in royalty rates of timber to enable fair value for the State’s invaluable forest resources and also enhance revenue generation for the State.
To strengthen administrative and technical efficiency, the Cabinet also approved the creation of posts in the Lokayukta, Election Department, Rural Works Department, Rural Development Department and for Departments of Sericulture, Fisheries and Geology and Mining. The Cabinet also approved Recruitment Rules for various posts in the Departments of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development, Public Health Engineering & Water Supply, Youth Affairs, Printing & Stationery, Civil Aviation, Home and Rural Works Department.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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