Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced plans to set up an Institute for Transforming Arunachal (ITA), a think tank aimed at guiding policy direction and monitoring development impact. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein made the announcement during a meeting with a visiting delegation of NITI Aayog at the civil secretariat in Itanagar.
The ITA will act as a transformation leader for the state, setting the course for development (disha) and assessing its impact (dasha) to formulate effective policies. The institute will be established with technical and strategic support from NITI Aayog under the State Support Mission (SSM).
Mein expressed gratitude for NITI Aayog’s continued support in monitoring and enhancing Arunachal Pradesh’s socio-economic progress. He acknowledged its role in refining policies, improving governance, and uplifting the state’s aspirational district (Namsai) and three aspirational blocks.
Arunachal Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has increased by 135% from Rs 20,373 crore in 2016 to Rs 47,823 crore in 2024. The state budget has expanded by 218%, while GST collections have surged by 584%. Infrastructure development has also seen significant progress, with rural roads expanding by 251% and the National Highway network growing by 143%.
The state government has announced several key initiatives, including Mission Shikshit Arunachal 2029, a Rs 3,000 crore project for full NEP 2020 implementation and skill development. The government has also declared Financial Year 2025-26 as the ‘Year of Human Capital’, with a focus on investments in people, infrastructure, economy, and innovation.
Programme Director (Security & Law) of NITI Aayog, Maj Gen (Retd) K Narayanan, recommended that the Arunachal Pradesh government prioritise initiatives in tourism, infrastructure, governance, and digital transformation. He suggested the development of the Si-Na-Li-Ta circuit and the establishment of Zemithang model village.
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