HT Correspondent
ITANAGAR, Aug 8: The Arunachal Pradesh State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, has approved a series of far-reaching decisions aimed at empowering youth, expanding the social security net, strengthening education, and reforming recruitment procedures across various departments, according to an official statement.
A major highlight of the meeting was the approval of the Arunachal Pradesh State Youth Policy 2025, described as a pivotal step towards holistic youth development.
Related Posts:
The policy sets out nine Youth Development Goals focusing on quality education, sustainable employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, skill enhancement, healthy lifestyles, youth leadership, civic engagement, arts, culture, sports, promotion of biodiversity, and building an inclusive and just society.
The government said the policy would follow a collaborative approach involving departments, NGOs, community-based organisations and youth bodies, with the goal of transforming Arunachal into a hub for sports, adventure activities, and cultural preservation.
In a significant welfare measure, the Cabinet approved relaxations in the Chief Minister Disability Pension eligibility criteria under the Chief Minister Social Security Scheme.
The age limit has been removed, making all persons with disabilities eligible regardless of age, compared to the earlier threshold of three years and above.
The required disability percentage has also been reduced from 70 per cent to 40 per cent, while other conditions remain unchanged.
The government said the move is intended to provide broader coverage and support to the Divyangjan community in the state.
For the education sector, the Cabinet cleared the creation of 18 new posts in the science stream at Donyi Polo Government College, Kamki, including 10 assistant professors, four laboratory assistants and four multi-tasking staff.
It also approved the creation of five new principal posts for government colleges at Geku, Basar, Palin, Roing and Tawang, as part of efforts to strengthen higher education infrastructure.
Recruitment rules in several departments have also been updated.
In the Animal Husbandry Department, the rules for the posts of stockman and laboratory assistant have been revised to include updated age criteria, revised educational qualifications, streamlined selection procedures and a reconstituted Departmental Promotion Committee.
In another change, the outdated 1999 recruitment rules for statistical inspectors and marketing inspectors have been replaced with the Agriculture Statistical Inspector Group-C Recruitment Rules, 2024, enabling direct recruitment of fresh statistical graduates.
The Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also seen amendments in the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Service Rules, 2019 for Group-A gazetted officers and the Range Forest Officer Recruitment Rules, 2019 for Group-B gazetted officers.
The government said these changes reflect its commitment to effective governance and environmental protection.
The Cabinet further approved the Arunachal Pradesh Arun Parivar Patra Authority Rules 2025 to standardise procedures and ensure operational clarity for all stakeholders.
These rules are expected to improve enforcement of data protection and consent norms while maintaining public trust in the fairness and transparency of the system.
During the meeting, the Cabinet was also briefed on the upcoming inauguration of the new Gauhati High Court, Itanagar Permanent Bench building on August 10, 2025.
The government described the new facility as a milestone in providing swift and seamless justice delivery to the people of the state.
According to the statement, these collective decisions reaffirm the state government’s commitment to inclusive governance, youth empowerment, academic excellence, social welfare expansion, and transparent administrative reforms.
