Government and society

Constitutional framework

Arunachal Pradesh is a constituent unit of the Republic of India, and, as such, the structure of its government, like that of most Indian states, is defined by the national constitution of 1950. The governor, appointed by India’s president, is head of state and is aided by an elected chief minister, a Council of Ministers, and a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).

At the local level, the state comprises more than one dozen districts. In general, those districts are parceled into a number of subdivisions, which encompass several blocks, towns, circles, and villages. Villages are the smallest administrative units.

Arunachal Pradesh does not have its own high court. Rather, the state falls under the jurisdiction of the high court in Guwahati, Assam. To handle cases from Arunachal Pradesh more effectively, however, a permanent bench of the Guwahati High Court has been established at Itanagar, with a chief justice appointed by the chief justice in Assam. Any case from Arunachal Pradesh may be referred to Guwahati, should the chief justice in Itanagar deem it necessary.

Health and welfare

In addition to the few general hospitals spread among the larger towns of Arunachal Pradesh, nearly every district has its own hospital. In more remote areas, health services are provided by community health centres and subcentres. Separate facilities specialize in homeopathic medicine. Although the rural character of Arunachal Pradesh has remained an obstacle to the growth of the state’s hospital and health care network, the expansion of public water works and the extension of electricity to the villages have helped to improve rural health. By the early 21st century, roughly four-fifths of the villages had a drinking water supply and about two-fifths were electrified.

Malaria, dengue fever, and tuberculosis are among the major health threats to the population of Arunachal Pradesh. The state government has participated in the country’s leprosy eradication program, as well as in national programs to control vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria, dengue fever, and Japanese encephalitis). Tuberculosis has remained a major concern in the state, with hospital facilities specifically designated as tuberculosis treatment centres.

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Education

Despite the presence of numerous primary, middle, and secondary schools, the literacy rate in Arunachal Pradesh continued to rank among the lowest in India in the early 21st century. There are a number of postsecondary institutions, including Arunachal University at Itanagar, which was founded in 1984. The state also has specialized colleges focusing on such fields as education, engineering, industry, and forestry and agriculture.

Cultural institutions

Arunachal Pradesh has an array of notable cultural institutions, which together underscore the state’s religious and cultural diversity. The state museum, which houses an ethnographic collection consisting of local archaeological finds, musical instruments, weavings, carvings, and other examples of material culture, is located in the capital, Itanagar. Also in Itanagar are the governor’s residence and a picturesque Buddhist temple, each crowning one of the city’s two prominent peaks. A Christian revival church and temples dedicated to the Hindu deities of Kali and Shiva are located in nearby Naharlagun. Bomdila, in the snow-clad Himalayan ranges of the state’s western segment, has many Buddhist monasteries and hermitages, while Tawang, in the far-northwestern extremity of Arunachal Pradesh, is famous for its 17th-century Mahayana Buddhist monastery with gold-lettered Buddhist scriptures. Parasuramkund, on the Lohit River in the state’s eastern region, is a place of Hindu pilgrimage where sins can be washed away in the local waters. Malinithan, in central Arunachal Pradesh, is an archaeological site and also a place of great sanctity.

Recreation

Arunachal Pradesh offers numerous parks, gardens, wildlife sanctuaries, and other natural settings for outdoor recreation. Bhalukpung and Tipi, both in the southwest, and Bomdila all are noted for their abundant flora, especially orchids. Namdapha National Park, near Dibrugarh on the south-central border, has a wildlife sanctuary inhabited by tigers and leopards. In Naharlagun the botanical garden at Polo Park sits atop a ridge overlooking the town. Other places valued for their unique scenery and natural environment are Ziro, set in a levelled valley of west-central Arunachal Pradesh and covered on all sides by pine-clad, stooping hills, and Ganga Lake just outside of Itanagar.