Arunachal Pradesh Minister Balo Raja Stresses Role of Consultative Committees in Governance
Arunachal Pradesh’s Urban Affairs Minister, Balo Raja, on Tuesday underscored the importance of consultative committees in governance, emphasizing their role in fostering discussions between elected representatives and government officials. Presiding over the consultative committee meeting of the Urban Affairs Department, Raja reminded attendees that these committees were first constituted by the Centre in June 1969 to help elected members better understand administrative processes. He highlighted their function as an informal platform for MPs, MLAs, and government ministries to discuss policy formulation and address governance challenges. “In line with the recommendations of the 8th All India Whips Conference held in 1972, Arunachal Pradesh has established consultative committees for each department, chaired by the respective ministers and comprising MLAs as members,” Raja stated. He further noted that such meetings should ideally be conducted during or between legislative sessions, with their reports submitted to the government for consideration. In most cases, unanimous recommendations are accepted, barring exceptions in specific policy areas. The meeting was attended by MLAs Techi Kasso, Tapi Darang, and Hamjong Tangha, along with senior officials, including Urban Affairs Secretary Nyali Ete, Joint Secretary Tamune Miso, Urban Development Chief Engineer Taring Darang, Town Planning Director Likha Suraj, and Housing Director Geyi Basar, among others. The discussion reaffirmed the government’s commitment to structured and collaborative decision-making, ensuring effective policy implementation in urban development.