Arunachal: CM Khandu Flags Massive Irregularities in Highway Funds
At the NES General Conference in Koloriang, CM Pema Khandu calls for community-led action against corruption, electoral malpractice, and rising social challenges.
KOLORIANG- Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday issued a strong call for collective action against corruption, urging community-based organisations (CBOs) to take a leading role in promoting transparency as the state undertakes major development projects.
Addressing the 14th General Conference of the Nyishi Elite Society (NES), Khandu expressed concern over what he described as “massive misuse” of compensation funds linked to the Lada–Sarli section of the Frontier Highway in East Kameng district. Preliminary findings, he noted, point to serious financial irregularities in land compensation assessments.
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The Chief Minister said that such incidents undermine public trust and jeopardise large-scale national investments aimed at improving infrastructure in the frontier state.
“Whose money is it? It belongs to the taxpayers of this country,” Khandu said, adding that strong corrective action would follow once the inquiry concludes.
Calling the Frontier Highway a critical project with long-term implications for border connectivity and regional growth, he lamented that the actions of a few individuals had disrupted timelines and weakened public confidence. Khandu appealed to NES to mobilise a broad, statewide campaign against corruption and what he described as a growing “money culture.”
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He further urged CBOs, NGOs, and student bodies to actively counter electoral malpractices, especially with panchayat and municipal elections nearing. The NES, as the apex organisation of Arunachal’s largest tribe, he said, had a distinctive responsibility in guiding inter-tribal harmony across more than 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes.
Describing NES as a “symbol of leadership and progressive thinking,” Khandu acknowledged its contributions to education, youth empowerment, cultural preservation, and social reforms. He welcomed the inclusion of an environment preservation session in the conference, calling it timely in the wake of rampant hill-cutting—particularly in the Itanagar Capital Region. He urged the adoption of terrain-sensitive construction norms.
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On the question of illegal immigration, Khandu said government-level discussions had revealed significant weaknesses in the existing Inner Line Permit (ILP) framework. Efforts are underway, he said, to fully digitize the system, ensure greater accountability, and hold employers responsible for migrant labour compliance.
The Chief Minister also underscored the need for CBOs to assist the government in improving education standards and addressing rising drug abuse among youth. Reiterating concerns over unemployment, he called for a cultural shift toward recognising the dignity of labour, warning that reluctance among local youth to take up available work could further skew demographic patterns.
