Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu on Wednesday said border disputes involving 123 villages along the Assam boundary had been largely resolved.He said 31 of the 32 contested areas in Papum Pare district had been settled during recent joint on-ground visits by regional committees.The chief minister also said progress had been made on long-pending state issues, including the Chakma question, and assured that the public would be informed at an appropriate time.The regional committees of Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh and Biswanath and North Lakhimpur districts in Assam met at Biswanath on Tuesday and agreed to engage the Survey of India within two months for formal demarcation.The two sides also agreed to maintain the status quo, withdraw the FIRs filed in connection with the disputes, erect boundary pillars in non-disputed villages and prepare a targeted roadmap for the remaining complex areas.Inaugurating the newly constructed Donyi Polo Multipurpose Hall at the Galo Heritage Centre in Tarajuli, near Itanagar, Khandu described the facility as a landmark of community participation and cultural resolve.Recalling the history of the project, Khandu said the Galo community had voluntarily handed over the original Mopin ground at Naharlagun, which had been in use since 1976, to facilitate the establishment of the state’s first medical college, the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences.The community subsequently pooled its resources and purchased 11,217 square metres of land at Tarajuli, with contributions from more than 430 individuals and clan-based organisations. Sanctioned under the Centre’s Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment scheme, the hall was completed in one year.Named after Donyi Polo, the hall will serve as a permanent venue for the Mopin festival and a socio-cultural hub for youth.Addressing infrastructure needs, Khandu announced that the drainage system for the Heritage Centre would be approved within the year. He also announced a shared shed at the Itanagar Mopin and Solung ground for the Galo and Adi communities.On connectivity, he said central support for the two-lane Ruksin-Kimin road remained conditional on the donation of land along the surveyed alignment.Emphasising self-reliance and skill development, Khandu called on young people to respect the dignity of labour and reduce dependence on skilled manpower from outside the state.He cited the success of local youth trained at the National Skill Centre in Hyderabad and encouraged entrepreneurship through state schemes, saying govt jobs could not absorb the entire workforce.Highlighting the state’s progress, Khandu cited several milestones, including more than 1.5 lakh women organised into self-help groups, a 13% rise in enrolment in govt schools under Mission Shikshit Arunachal, and the coverage of border villages under the Vibrant Villages Programme.Urging tribal communities to safeguard their indigenous languages and heritage amid technological advancement, Khandu called on citizens to reflect on the roadmap to 2047 as the state prepares to mark 40 years of statehood in 2027.
