A high-level team from NITI Aayog has arrived in Arunachal Pradesh to assess the damages caused by recent floods and discuss measures to strengthen disaster resilience. The team, led by NITI Aayog member Dr Joram Aniya, includes National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Rita Missal and senior officials from NITI Aayog, the NDMA, and the Central Water Commission. The ongoing spell of rain-triggered floods and landslides has claimed seven lives, injured 29 people, and affected 1,03,167 people across the state, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, houses, agriculture, and horticulture.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the meeting focused on strengthening disaster resilience and advancing Arunachal’s development priorities in view of the recurring natural disasters faced by the state. Khandu expressed gratitude to the visiting delegation, stating that the team’s visit would provide policymakers with a better understanding of the challenges faced by the people of the frontier state, especially in the wake of the recent floods. He emphasized the need for a region-specific approach to disaster management, citing Arunachal’s unique geographical and climatic conditions.
The cumulative number of people affected in the state has risen to 1,03,167, with Upper Siang emerging as the worst-hit district. Floods and landslides have damaged 622 houses across the state, including 454 kutcha houses, 100 pucca houses, 44 huts, and 24 houses under other categories. The overall loss to agriculture and horticulture has also mounted to 561.75 hectares.
In a separate development, the Deoghar-based global headquarter of the Satsang has donated Rs 1 crore to the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to support relief and rehabilitation efforts for those affected by the devastating floods in the state. Satsang assistant secretary Shivanand Prasad met Chief Minister Pema Khandu and handed over the cheque for Rs 1 crore. Khandu expressed confidence that close coordination between the Centre and the state, backed by firsthand assessments by central agencies, would help strengthen disaster preparedness, improve resilience, and ensure that support measures are aligned with the state’s specific requirements.
