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ZIRO : Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita concluded his visit to Lower Subansiri district on Tuesday, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to strengthening the handloom and handicrafts sector while promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities in Arunachal Pradesh. Addressing local weavers, handicraft artisans and district officials, Margherita described Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India’s rich cultural heritage and highlighted the state’s unique contribution to preserving indigenous traditions. He praised Chief Minister Pema Khandu for his leadership, citing the state’s ongoing infrastructure development and efforts to safeguard tribal culture and heritage. The MoS also commended Arunachal Pradesh’s Members of Parliament for their role in advocating developmental and textile-related initiatives for the state. A key highlight of the visit was the laying of the foundation stone for the Ziro Handloom Marketing Complex at the Government Crafts Centre. The proposed facility is expected to provide local weavers with a dedicated platform to market and promote their products to wider domestic and international audiences. Margherita also distributed specialised toolkits to artisans under the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme, aimed at enhancing productivity and supporting the preservation of traditional craft practices. Earlier, the MoS received a traditional welcome from district administration officials and community leaders upon his arrival in Ziro. He began the day’s programme with a visit to Siddheshwarnath Temple at Kardo and later attended a breakfast meeting hosted by Ziro-Hapoli MLA Hage Appa, where discussions focused on local developmental priorities and future opportunities for the region. Before proceeding to Palin in Kra Daadi district, Margherita held a review meeting with district officials to assess the implementation of ongoing central initiatives in the textiles sector and regional development programmes. (DIPR)      

ZIRO : Saint Claret College (Autonomous), Ziro (SCCZ), has appointed noted Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and social reformer Robin Hibu as Professor of Practice in its Department of Social Work following approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. The honorary appointment, believed to be the first of its kind for a serving IPS officer of Director General of Police (DGP) rank, marks a significant milestone for the institution and reflects its commitment to integrating academic learning with practical experience. The approval was conveyed by the MHA through an official communication dated May 20, 2026, following a proposal routed through the Delhi Police. A 1993-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre IPS officer and the first IPS officer from Arunachal Pradesh, Hibu currently serves as a Director General of Police in Delhi. During his distinguished career, he has held several key positions, including Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Inspector General of Police, Special Commissioner of Police and Chief Security Officer to the President of India. He has also served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. Hibu is the recipient of several prestigious honours, including the United Nations Peace Medal, President’s Police Medals, Arunachal Pradesh Gold Medals for Outstanding Service and the Ati Utkrisht Seva Padak. Beyond his policing career, he is widely recognised as the founder of Helping Hands, a humanitarian organisation that assists people from the Northeast across India through emergency support, legal aid, healthcare services and educational initiatives. According to the college, Hibu’s association with the Department of Social Work will provide students with valuable exposure to public administration, leadership, governance, ethics and community service. His extensive professional experience is expected to help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice. Established in 2024, the Department of Social Work has been actively promoting field-based learning and community engagement. The college expressed confidence that Hibu’s mentorship and interaction with students and faculty members would further strengthen the department’s mission of nurturing socially responsible and professionally competent graduates. The formal induction ceremony was held at the college, where the appointment order was handed over to Hibu’s mother, Hibu Yasing. Faculty members, representatives of Helping Hands and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre, Ziro, attended the programme, while Robin Hibu and his wife joined the event virtually.      

TAWANG : In a significant initiative to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and promote women-led enterprises, the Block Mission Management Unit (BMMU) under the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ArSRLM) organised a one-day registration camp on Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and UDYAM registration at the BMMU Training Hall, Walk Through Market, Tawang. Addressing the participants, BMMU Tawang Dr Tsewang Dorjee highlighted the importance of formal registration in enhancing business credibility, expanding market access and creating growth opportunities. He encouraged women entrepreneurs to remain committed to their ventures and outlined various government initiatives aimed at creating “Lakhpati Didis”. He also shared the government’s vision of enabling every Producer Group to achieve an annual turnover of over ₹10 lakh. Dorjee informed the participants that products manufactured by Self-Help Groups (SHGs) would soon be showcased at Hollongi Airport, offering a valuable marketing platform. He noted that both FSSAI and UDYAM registrations would be mandatory for participation. Tawang Deputy Director of Industries Tsering Drema conducted an awareness session on the registration process, eligibility criteria and benefits available under the Prime Minister Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme and UDYAM Registration. She cautioned participants against fraudulent websites seeking sensitive personal information and clarified that UDYAM registration is free of cost through the official government portal. Drema also explained the benefits available to registered SHGs, including access to government support schemes and opportunities to participate in procurement and tendering through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Tawang Food Safety Officer Dr Kesang Yeshi Tukshipa delivered a detailed session on FSSAI registration, food safety compliance requirements and the advantages available to registered food business operators. Earlier, Block Coordinator (Livelihoods–Non-Farm) Drema Lhamu welcomed the participants and encouraged them to utilise the camp to clarify registration-related queries and explore business development opportunities. The camp witnessed enthusiastic participation from around 40 members of women Self-Help Groups, Mothers’ Kitchens and local women entrepreneurs. An interactive session allowed participants to engage directly with resource persons and seek guidance on registration procedures and enterprise development. A major highlight of the programme was the successful on-the-spot registration of several enterprises under both FSSAI and UDYAM, marking a significant step towards formalisation, improved market access and sustainable business growth. The initiative reflects ArSRLM’s continued commitment to nurturing resilient rural enterprises, strengthening women-led businesses and creating new avenues for economic empowerment across Arunachal Pradesh. (Source: DIPR)    

YAZALI :  The Comprehensive Action Plan for Education (CAPE), a flagship initiative under the Keyi Panyor Mission Plan 2040 (KPMP 2040), has successfully concluded its first district-wide cluster-level teachers’ workshop series, marking a significant step towards strengthening public education in Keyi Panyor district. Held on June 8 and 9, the workshops witnessed participation from more than 90 per cent of teachers serving in government schools across the district. The initiative is being implemented under the leadership of Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung, whose Keyi Panyor Mission Plan 2040 places education at the centre of the district’s long-term development strategy. Three intensive workshops were conducted covering all six educational clusters of the district—Param Putu, Yachuli, Yazali, Pitapool, Deed and Pistana. Teachers from primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary schools participated in collaborative planning and learning sessions aimed at improving educational outcomes. In a message shared during the programme, Tatung said the future of Keyi Panyor would be shaped not only by physical infrastructure but by the quality of education, empowered teachers and strong community participation in public schools. The workshops were facilitated by a multidisciplinary CAPE core team comprising education experts, community development professionals and policy practitioners from across the country. The sessions adopted a participatory approach, encouraging teachers to work in groups and develop practical solutions for local educational challenges. Discussions focused on three key priorities—strengthening community confidence in government schools under the theme “Community is Our Wall”, increasing enrolment and reducing migration from government schools through “Nature Schooling”, and ensuring improved attendance and dropout prevention under the “No Child Left Behind” campaign. As part of the exercise, participating teachers signed individual CAPE Action Promise Cards, committing themselves to specific goals related to enrolment, attendance, community engagement and school improvement. Key outcomes of the workshops included the preparation of cluster education action plans, community trust-building strategies, school enrolment improvement plans, dropout prevention measures, school-specific innovation proposals and recommendations for future Shiksha Mitras. Priority infrastructure requirements for schools were also identified. The CAPE team noted that one of the major achievements under KPMP 2040 has been the district’s move towards a comprehensive fee-free education framework covering elementary, secondary, senior secondary and graduate-level education, aimed at reducing financial barriers for students and families. According to the organisers, the workshop series represents the first phase of a long-term educational transformation programme. Upcoming phases will include consultations with Anganwadi workers, selection and mentoring of Shiksha Mitras, community engagement initiatives and sustained monitoring of educational progress across the district. The initiative reaffirmed its vision of ensuring “Every Child in School, Every Teacher a Leader, and Every School a Centre of Community Learning,” while promoting an education system that is equitable, community-driven and rooted in local realities.      

BASAR : The Basar Planning Authority on Monday reviewed the Draft Master Plan for Basar Township and the Comprehensive Development Plan for the district headquarters area, adopting a series of measures aimed at ensuring planned and sustainable urban development. The meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, was chaired by Leparada Deputy Commissioner-cum-Basar Planning Authority Chairperson Himani Meena and attended by Basar MLA Nyabi Jini Dirchi, Leparada Zilla Parishad Chairperson Nyamar Riba, Leparada Superintendent of Police Dr Thuptan Jambey, members of the Planning Authority, consultants and other stakeholders. The deliberations focused on long-term urban planning strategies, land-use management, infrastructure development and regulatory mechanisms to guide the orderly growth of Basar Township and the district headquarters region. Addressing the meeting, Dirchi emphasised the importance of the ongoing town planning exercise in laying a strong foundation for the future development of Basar. She said the proposed Master Plan should include a comprehensive land-use framework, provisions for future urban expansion and a dedicated corridor for a bypass road to improve connectivity and support sustainable growth. Earlier, Meena informed the members that the Arunachal Pradesh Urban and Country Planning Act, 2007, has been extended to Basar, enabling planned and regulated development of the township. She highlighted key urban challenges, including traffic congestion, inadequate parking facilities, encroachment on public land, unauthorised constructions and illegal earth-cutting activities, underscoring the need for effective planning interventions. Basar Planning Authority Town Planner-cum-Member Secretary Tabom Tamut presented the statutory provisions, planning procedures and development frameworks governing the preparation of the Master Plan and Development Plan. During the meeting, consultant Kaustabh Kurlekar of M/s Aakar Abhinav Consultant Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, presented the Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Master Plan for Basar Township, while Saurabh Gupta of M/s Twins Studio, Tinsukia, outlined the concept for the Comprehensive Development Plan of the district headquarters area. Following detailed discussions and suggestions from stakeholders, the Authority unanimously approved the draft proposals submitted by the Town Planner-cum-Member Secretary and resolved to recommend them to the state government for further notification. To prevent haphazard and unregulated urban growth, the Authority also resolved to impose restrictions on new construction activities in identified greenfield areas until the Development Plan is finalised. Consulting agencies were directed to expedite the planning process, while it was further decided that all building construction proposals within the planning area would require prior layout approval from the Town Planner-cum-Member Secretary of the Basar Planning Authority. (DIPR      

ZIRO :  The scenic Ziro Valley witnessed an enthusiastic celebration of World Bicycle Day 2026 as more than 50 cyclists participated in the Apatani Heritage Village Ride organised by the Lower Subansiri Cycling Association (LSCA) under the aegis of the Arunachal Cycling Association (ACA). Held under the theme “Pedal Towards a Healthier and Greener Future,” the event promoted physical fitness, environmental sustainability and community engagement through cycling. A notable feature of the ride was the participation of 16 students from Hill Queen Education Institute, who joined the event along with Principal Rubu Lailyang. The programme also drew support from local leaders, including Zilla Parishad Member Leegang Tatang. The heritage ride traversed parts of the picturesque Apatani Valley, bringing together cycling enthusiasts of different age groups in a collective effort to encourage eco-friendly transportation and healthy lifestyles. Speaking at the conclusion of the event, Lower Subansiri Cycling Association President Tage Opo and Secretary Narang Pullo thanked participants and supporters for making the programme a success. They noted that cycling is steadily gaining recognition in the region not only as a recreational activity but also as a competitive sport and a sustainable mode of transport. The organisers expressed hope that such initiatives would help foster a stronger cycling culture in the valley while encouraging greater awareness about health, environmental conservation and sustainable living.