Arunachal cabinet clears hydropower incentives, recruitment reforms and governance overhaul

The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet on January 31 approved a wide-ranging set of decisions covering hydropower incentives, recruitment reforms, ease of doing business, health, education and digital governance, aimed at strengthening institutions, improving transparency and accelerating inclusive growth across the state.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, was held at Dirang in Dibang Valley district and focused on addressing long-pending administrative bottlenecks while boosting economic and infrastructure development.

To ensure continuity and efficiency in recruitment administration, the cabinet approved replacing the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 with a Bill, enabling the appointment of a retired officer as chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) along with serving officers. The move seeks to address disruptions caused by frequent transfers, the statement said.

To restore public confidence in recruitment processes, the cabinet also cleared remedial measures recommended by the one-man inquiry commission and approved streamlining of procedures of the APSSB to ensure fair, transparent and efficient selection.

In a major push for hydropower development, the cabinet approved GST reimbursement concessions for 1,200 MW of Kala II hydropower project in Anjaw district and the 680 MW Attunli project in Dibang Valley. With a combined investment of around ₹21,700 crore, the projects are expected to generate nearly 458 crore units of free power and about ₹84 crore through local area development funds, apart from substantial employment opportunities.

The projects will reserve jobs for local communities, including 25 per cent of Group A and B posts, 50 per cent of Group C and D posts, and 25 per cent of skilled and unskilled jobs. The cabinet also approved time-bound compensation and relief and rehabilitation packages for project-affected families, positioning affected communities as long-term partners in hydropower development.

To strengthen technical leadership, the cabinet approved a one-time relaxation in recruitment rules for the post of Superintending Engineer (Civil). It also cleared the Renovate–Own–Operate–Transfer (ROOT) policy for small hydropower projects, aligned with the state’s “Decade of Hydropower Vision (2025–2035)”.

In the education sector, the cabinet approved the creation of 150 special education teaching posts, including 75 trained graduate teachers and 75 primary teachers, to expand inclusive education. Obsolete state rules relating to the State Information Commission were repealed to align with amended national RTI provisions.

For improved regulation and convenience, the cabinet approved the implementation of the Electronic Inner Line Permit (e-ILP) system. It also cleared the renaming of the regional apple nursery at Dirang in West Kameng district as a regional temperate horticulture nursery, reflecting its expanded mandate.

To bolster institutional capacity, recruitment rules were approved or amended for posts in the departments of Indigenous Affairs, Water Resources (Junior Engineers), Agriculture (Statistical Officers) and Disaster Management, aligning pay structures and streamlining promotions.

In a significant governance reform, the cabinet approved the Arunachal Pradesh Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, decriminalising minor offences under select state laws and replacing imprisonment with rationalised monetary penalties, aimed at improving ease of doing business and reducing regulatory burden.

The decisions underscore the state government’s focus on administrative reforms, economic expansion and inclusive development, with hydropower and transparent governance emerging as key pillars of Arunachal Pradesh’s growth strategy.