Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh cabinet on Saturday cleared a Rs 1,500-crore school infrastructure upgrade programme and a scheme offering direct government jobs to sportspersons who win medals at major international events.
The decisions span education, sports, public service delivery, business regulations, drinking water management, airport-related land development and other administrative matters, according to an official statement.
Under the second phase of Mission Shikshit Arunachal, the state government aims to upgrade school infrastructure by 2029, with an indicative allocation of Rs 1,500 crore over three financial years, from 2026-27 to 2028-29. The cabinet has approved the standard operating procedure for implementing the programme.
District-level planning will guide the identification of infrastructure gaps and the selection of priority projects. Proposed improvements include classrooms, school buildings, hostels and residential facilities for teachers.
During the first phase, more than 800 schools were upgraded at a cost of Rs 3,612 crore. The work included the development of over 120 hostels, 152 science laboratories and 159 libraries.
Progress and expenditure under the second phase will be tracked through digital monitoring, geo-tagging, financial audits and independent third-party checks.
The cabinet also approved the Chief Minister’s Sports Talent Appointment and Recognition Scheme (CM-STARS), which will provide direct government recruitment to athletes winning medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games and Commonwealth Games.
Implementation will require amendments to the Arunachal Sports Policy, 2017. The scheme is intended to provide career opportunities to accomplished athletes and encourage greater participation in sports, including roles as players, coaches and administrators.
Changes to the Arunachal Pradesh (Methods and Procedures of Delivery of Services) Rules, 2017, will allow citizens to appeal online against delays in receiving notified government services.
The revised rules provide for automated processing and escalation of appeals when services are not delivered within the prescribed deadlines.
Officials responsible for delays will face financial accountability, while affected citizens will be entitled to immediate compensation for late service delivery or delays in deciding appeals.
The cabinet also approved amendments to the dual licensing system covering 28 categories of establishments in municipal areas. Businesses holding valid statutory licences or registrations issued by authorised central or state agencies will no longer need a separate municipal trade licence.
However, they must continue to comply with other requirements relating to fire safety, sanitation, building permissions and environmental protection.
For rural and urban drinking water systems, the cabinet adopted a revised Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy incorporating all 19 recommendations from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The policy assigns a greater role to gram panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees in community participation and the long-term management of water supply infrastructure.
The state government reported spending more than Rs 4,500 crore on drinking water infrastructure under the Jal Jeevan Mission between 2016 and 2026. It also reported achieving 100 per cent coverage under the Har Ghar Jal programme.
The Arunachal Pradesh Airport Development Authority Land Disposal Rules, 2026, will introduce a lease-based framework for managing the authority’s land. The rules are intended to ensure transparent land management and encourage private investment.
The proposed Hollongi Aero-City is among the projects expected to benefit, with plans for commercial and residential properties, logistics and hospitality facilities.
The cabinet also approved a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Geology and Mining and the Arunachal Pradesh Space Application Centre to use satellite imagery, geographical information systems (GIS) and drone surveys for mineral exploration and monitoring.
Additional decisions covered revised royalty rates for timber and the creation of new posts in the Lokayukta, Election, Rural Works, Rural Development, Sericulture, Fisheries, and Geology and Mining departments.