Arunachal DCM attends 48th Nyokum Yullo at Tali, reaffirms push for border development and cultural preservation

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on February 26 attended the 48th Nyokum Yullo celebration at Tali, joining the Nyishi community in celebrating one of their most important traditional festivals. Extending greetings on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister wished the people peace, prosperity, harmony and a bountiful harvest.

Addressing the gathering, Mein described Nyokum Yullo as more than a festival, calling it a living expression of the Nyishi community’s deep spiritual connection with nature, collective unity and ancestral faith. He lauded the community for preserving traditional rituals, attire and indigenous knowledge systems, stressing that cultural identity must be safeguarded even as the state embraces modern development.

Highlighting the development profile of the Tali–Pipsorang belt, the Deputy Chief Minister said agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy. He noted that large cardamom continues to be the main cash crop supporting rural livelihoods, while orange cultivation and horticulture activities are steadily expanding. He emphasised that horticulture holds immense potential in the region and that value addition and better market access could significantly boost rural incomes.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to border area development, Mein said special policy focus is being given to remote and frontier regions of Arunachal Pradesh. He expressed confidence that targeted investments in infrastructure, agriculture and livelihood generation would encourage reverse migration, enabling people to return to their native villages with dignity and economic security.

On connectivity, the Deputy Chief Minister informed that six roads are being implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and four roads under the Vibrant Villages Programme to ensure all-weather connectivity in remote and border habitations. He added that projects under the Central Road Fund and Rural Infrastructure Development Fund are progressing steadily, while the Chief Minister Comprehensive Road Scheme, including the proposed Tali Ring Road, will further aid township expansion and economic growth.

In the infrastructure sector, Mein said a Mini Secretariat is under construction to improve governance and administrative efficiency. Indoor and outdoor stadiums are being developed to promote youth engagement and sports, while a tourist lodge has been planned to tap the tourism potential of the area. He also noted that new school buildings under the Shikshit Arunachal initiative are strengthening educational infrastructure, alongside the construction of administrative offices at Pipsorang SDO, Nyorig Circle and Paye Circle.

The Deputy Chief Minister said 100 per cent household coverage has been achieved under the Jal Jeevan Mission, ensuring safe drinking water to all households in the region. In the power sector, he informed that the Pale Hydel Project is in its final stages and is expected to significantly enhance electricity supply and support sustainable development.

Emphasising the need to document traditional knowledge, Mein said elders possess invaluable cultural wisdom that must be systematically recorded and preserved for future generations. He underlined that development must go hand in hand with cultural conservation.

The programme was also attended by Mutchu Mithi, MLA Roing and Advisor to the Minister for Home and Education; Jikke Tako, MLA Tali and Advisor to the Minister for Power; former MLA Tali Rughu Tado; Director of Youth Affairs Ramesh Linggi; Zilla Parishad Chairperson Kra Daadi district Tagru Kasha, and other dignitaries.

The celebration concluded with a call for unity, collective responsibility and faith, in keeping with the spirit of Nyokum Yullo, to build a prosperous, self-reliant and culturally vibrant Arunachal Pradesh.