Arunachal cabinet clears Rs 1,500-crore school upgrade plan, jobs for medal-winning athletes

The Arunachal Pradesh cabinet has approved a Rs 1,500-crore school infrastructure upgrade programme, along with a scheme to provide direct government jobs to medal-winning sportspersons, as part of a series of decisions aimed at strengthening public services and improving the state's business environment.

The decisions were taken at a cabinet meeting on November 14, according to an official statement.

Under Mission Shikshit Arunachal, the government has approved a standard operating procedure for upgrading school infrastructure by 2029, with an indicative allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for 2026-27 to 2028-29.

The programme will focus on improving classrooms, school buildings, hostels and teachers' quarters across the state. Its second phase will identify infrastructure gaps and prioritise projects through district-level planning.

The first phase saw more than 800 schools upgraded at a cost of Rs 3,612 crore. The work included the development of over 120 hostels, 152 science laboratories and 159 libraries.

To ensure accountability, the government plans to introduce digital tracking, geo-tagging, financial audits and third-party verification of projects.

The cabinet also approved the Chief Minister's Sports Talent Appointment and Recognition Scheme (CM-STARS), which will offer direct government employment to athletes winning medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games and Commonwealth Games.

The scheme will be implemented through amendments to the Arunachal Sports Policy, 2017. It aims to provide career security to accomplished athletes while encouraging greater participation in sports. It will also allow experienced sportspersons to contribute to the state's sporting ecosystem as players, coaches and administrators.

In another decision, the cabinet approved amendments to the Arunachal Pradesh (Methods and Procedures of Delivery of Services) Rules, 2017, to strengthen accountability in public service delivery.

The revised provisions will allow citizens to file appeals online and introduce automated processing and automatic escalation when notified services are not delivered within the prescribed time. They also provide for financial accountability of officials responsible for delays and immediate compensation to citizens affected by delayed services or disposal of appeals.

To reduce regulatory requirements for businesses, the cabinet approved changes to dual licensing rules covering 28 categories of establishments in municipal areas.

Under the revised framework, businesses with valid statutory licences or registrations issued by competent central or state authorities will no longer need a separate municipal trade licence. However, they will still have to comply with requirements relating to fire safety, sanitation, building permissions and environmental protection.

The cabinet also cleared a revised Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy for rural and urban water supply systems, incorporating all 19 recommendations of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. The policy seeks to ensure the financial sustainability of water supply infrastructure and increase community participation through gram panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees.

According to the government, more than Rs 4,500 crore was spent on expanding drinking water infrastructure under the Jal Jeevan Mission between 2016 and 2026, with the state achieving 100 per cent Har Ghar Jal coverage.

The cabinet further approved the Arunachal Pradesh Airport Development Authority Land Disposal Rules, 2026, to establish a framework for transparent land management and private investment through a leasehold system.

The rules are expected to facilitate the proposed Hollongi Aero-City project and encourage investment in commercial, residential, logistics and hospitality sectors.

Other decisions included approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Geology and Mining and the Arunachal Pradesh Space Application Centre for the use of satellite imagery, geographical information systems (GIS) and drone surveys in mineral exploration and monitoring.

The cabinet also approved an increase in timber royalty rates and the creation of posts across several departments, including the Lokayukta, Election, Rural Works, Rural Development, Sericulture, Fisheries, and Geology and Mining departments.

Recruitment rules for various posts in other departments were also cleared.