Itanagar, February 4: Zilla Parishad Members (ZPMs) from Tirap district and West Kameng district held separate meetings with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday to discuss strategies for strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions and accelerating development at the grassroots level across the state.
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| Zilla Parishad Members from Tirap and West Kameng districts with Chief Minister Pema Khandu during a meeting. |
During his interaction with the ZPMs from Tirap district, the Chief Minister described the discussion as productive, meaningful, and focused on the future of local governance. He stressed the importance of empowering Panchayati Raj institutions to ensure effective delivery of government services and development programmes at the village level. Khandu underlined the need for proactive planning, transparency, accountability, and people-centric governance to address local challenges and improve the quality of life in rural areas.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the crucial role played by elected local representatives in identifying community needs and ensuring that development initiatives reach the intended beneficiaries. He encouraged the ZPMs to work closely with village communities and administrative officials to promote inclusive and sustainable growth.
In a separate meeting with ZPMs from West Kameng district, Khandu urged local representatives to draw inspiration from the success stories of Panchayats in Dibang Valley district. He noted that several Panchayats in Dibang Valley have effectively utilised State Own Resources (SOR) to create income-generating and community-focused assets such as rural marts, guest houses, restaurants, and heritage museums.
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According to the Chief Minister, these initiatives have not only strengthened local economies but have also created livelihood opportunities, promoted tourism, and helped preserve the rich cultural heritage of the region. He said such examples demonstrate the potential of Panchayats to become drivers of rural development and self-reliance.
Khandu reiterated that empowered Panchayati Raj institutions are central to the vision of building self-sufficient villages and ensuring balanced development across Arunachal Pradesh. He encouraged local representatives to adopt innovative, community-driven approaches and make optimum use of available resources for long-term growth.
The meetings reflected the state government's continued emphasis on decentralised governance, grassroots participation, and strengthening local institutions as key pillars of inclusive and sustainable development in Arunachal Pradesh.
