Arunachal: Corruption Will Not Be Tolerated: CM to Assembly
Chief Minister Pema Khandu told the Assembly that corruption in highway compensation cases would be dealt with firmly, citing arrests and seizures linked to the Lada Sarli Frontier Highway.
ITANAGAR- Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday asserted that his government would deal corruption with an “iron hand,” particularly in matters involving public money, while responding to issues raised in the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly regarding compensation for the Lada Sarli Frontier Highway project.
The Chief Minister was addressing concerns raised during the Zero Hour discussion by Kumar Waii, MLA from Bameng constituency, who highlighted alleged irregularities in land compensation linked to the highway project.
Khandu informed the House that a high-level Fact-Finding Committee had already uncovered significant discrepancies in compensation payments across Bichom district and East Kameng district. He said the investigation has moved beyond preliminary findings, with concrete enforcement action underway
According to the Chief Minister, the Special Investigation Cell has seized ₹11.5 crore in connection with the case and arrested four individuals so far. He added that the government’s intensified approach to tackling corruption is reflected in enforcement data, noting that 142 arrests have been made since 2016, compared to only 20 arrests in the decade preceding it.
Responding to the concerns of the Bameng MLA, Khandu acknowledged that the longest stretch of the highway—covering Packages 1, 2, and 3—falls within Bameng constituency. He assured the House that transparency and accountability would be upheld in the compensation process and that no individual involved in malpractice would be spared.
Also Read- CM Khandu Flags Massive Irregularities in Highway Funds
Earlier, Kumar Waii informed the Assembly that he had written to the then Deputy Commissioner regarding difficulties faced by villagers in compensation disbursement and had sought clarity and fairness in the process. He urged the government to ensure that affected families receive their due entitlements without irregularities.
The Chief Minister reiterated that safeguarding public resources and restoring public confidence in governance remain central to the government’s priorities and said corrective measures would continue wherever wrongdoing is detected.
