Northeast Desk, 27th August: The Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) has expressed serious concerns about the management and treatment of participants in the Miss Arunachal event, a part of the Chief Minister’s Talent Hunt initiative. In a recent meeting with Ramesh Linggi, Director of Youth Affairs, the APWWS delegation raised issues surrounding the safety, dignity, and fair treatment of participants.
During the discussion, Linggi disclosed that the event received an increased allocation of Rs 80 lakhs in 2019. However, despite this substantial funding, the event has been marred by controversies, including unpaid incentives and allegations of mismanagement. Former Miss Arunachal Tengam Celine Koyu revealed that she had not received her incentives, despite the organizing body receiving Rs 10 lakhs in October 2023. This has prompted the APWWS to question the transparency and fairness of the incentive disbursement process, which, according to Linggi, requires a recommendation rather than a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to validate claims.
APWWS also highlighted significant gaps in the event’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), particularly the absence of anti-harassment clauses and the lack of internal complaint committees, which are legally required. The society has suggested appointing a female nodal officer to chair such committees for all state-sponsored women-related events.
In response to these issues, APWWS is demanding immediate action from the Youth Affairs Directorate. Their key demands include the prompt release of pending payments to participants, an impartial investigation into the allegations against the organizers, and the establishment of a monitoring panel to oversee future women-centric events in the state. Additionally, they propose the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for incentives to ensure timely and transparent disbursement.
The society is also urging the state to adopt best practices in event management, particularly in ensuring the protection and fair treatment of women participants. These reforms, they argue, are crucial for maintaining the integrity and success of state-sponsored talent initiatives like Miss Arunachal.
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