Politics 12 Jun, 2026

Khandu seeks special policy support for Arunachal Pradesh at NITI Aayog meet

Business To Business, New Delhi, 12^th June, 2026:    Pema Khandu on Friday urged NITI Aayog to provide special policy interventions and enhanced support mechanisms to address what he described as the "unique developmental and strategic challenges" faced by Arunachal Pradesh.
Northeast Chief Ministers' Meeting
The remarks came during an interaction convened by NITI Aayog in New Delhi with chief ministers of northeastern states to discuss:

• Development priorities.
• Governance innovations.
• Infrastructure requirements.
• Region-specific challenges.

The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister sought several measures tailored to the state's geographical and strategic circumstances, including:
Khandu called for a reassessment of funding formulas that rely heavily on population figures.
He argued that such criteria do not adequately account for the challenges of governing a vast, sparsely populated, mountainous border state where infrastructure and service delivery costs are significantly higher.
He requested greater central assistance for infrastructure development, particularly in:

• Road connectivity.
• Transport networks.
• Public services.
• Strategic and border-area infrastructure.

Khandu also proposed the creation of a separate All India Services cadre for Arunachal Pradesh, which could help address administrative and governance requirements specific to the state.
Arunachal Pradesh occupies a strategically important position in India's northeastern region, sharing an international border with China, as well as borders with Bhutan and Myanmar.
The state faces challenges related to:

• Difficult terrain.
• Low population density.
• Connectivity gaps.
• Border-area development.
• Delivery of public services across remote regions.

Khandu's proposals reflect a broader demand from several northeastern states for funding and policy frameworks that take into account geography, strategic significance, and infrastructure costs, rather than relying primarily on population-based indicators.
The discussions at NITI Aayog are expected to feed into future policy planning aimed at accelerating development across the Northeast while addressing the region's unique requirements.