Normal Gazette nO.9, part-III of 2026

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The Arunachal Pradesh Gazette

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

No. 9, Vol. XXXVII, Naharlagun, Friday, May 15, 2026, Vaisakha 25, 1948 (Saka)

Separate paging is given to this part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation.

GOVERNMENT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

PART - III

Resolutions, orders, notifications, rules etc., issued by the Government and Heads of Departments.

NOTIFICATION

The 19th April, 2026

No. HTE-11/8/2022-HTE-BR-HTE.—In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India and in suppression of the Recruitment Rules, 2000 to the Post of Principal, Government College notified vide No. SEDN-81/88 dated 3rd August, 2000, as amended from time to time, except as respect things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is pleased to make the following rules to regulate the method of recruitment to the post(s) of "Principal of Government Colleges", Group-A Gazetted, (Non-Ministerial) in the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, namely:

1. Short title and commencement: (i) These rules may be called the "Recruitment to the post of Principal of Government Colleges-Rules, 2026".

(ii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Arunachal Pradesh Gazette.

2. These rules shall apply to the posts as specified in the Column 1 of the Schedule I and details of substantive posts sanctioned against each Government College specified in Schedule-II Annexed to this Rules.

3. Number of posts, classification and Pay Level in the Pay Matrix : The number of posts, their classification and the Pay level in the Pay Matrix attached thereto shall be as specified in columns 2 to 4 in the Schedule-I aforesaid.

4. Method of Recruitment, age limit and other qualifications etc. : The method of recruitment to the said post, age limit, educational qualifications and other matter relating thereto shall be as specified in columns 5 to 13 of the Schedule-I aforesaid.

5. Disqualification : No person,

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or

(b) who having a spouse living has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person shall be eligible for appointment to the said post.

Provided that the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal Law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and there are other grounds for so doing exempt any person from the operation of this rule.

6. Power to Relax: Where the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, he may, by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and observing the procedures as prescribed under OM No. AR-89/2012 dated 6th March, 2013 and in consultation with the Commission relax any of the provisions of these Rules with respect to any class or category of persons.

7. Repeal and Savings: All rules and procedures corresponding to these rules and procedures in force immediately before the commencement of these rules are hereby repealed, provided that any order made or action taken under the rules so repealed shall be deemed to have been validly made or taken under the corresponding provisions of these Rules.

Nothing in these rules shall affect reservation/relaxation of age limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh from time to time in this regard.

Amjad Tak, IAS Commissioner (Education), Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar.

To the post of Principal, Government Colleges (See Rules 2, 3 and 4)

Khumkon Mossang

Under Secretary (Education),

Government of Arunachal Pradesh,

Itanagar.

See Rule 2 and column 2 of Scheduled I of Recruitment Rules for the

Post of Principal, Government Colleges 2026

(Details of the substantive post of Principal sanctioned against the Government Colleges)

Khumkon Mossang

Under Secretary (Education),

Government of Arunachal Pradesh,

Itanagar.

NOTIFICATION

The 29th April, 2026

ROOT Policy for Small Hydropower Projects in Arunachal Pradesh, 2026

No. CE/P, D&C/HPD/W-58/2025-26 (E-290914)/191-203.— In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 162 read with clause (1) of Article 166 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is pleased to notify the "Renovate-Own-Operate-Transfer (ROOT) Policy for Small Hydropower Projects in Arunachal Pradesh, 2026" as follows :

I. Preliminary :

1. Short title and commencement : (1) This Policy may be called the 'Renovate-Own-Operate- Transfer (ROOT) Policy for Small Hydropower Projects in Arunachal Pradesh, 2026'.

(2) It shall come into effect on the date of its notification in the official gazette.

II. Preamble :

The installed capacity of the State stands at ~1.2GW which includes the ~82 MW of SHPs commissioned and operated by the state and two SHPs, namely Dikshi (24 MW) and Khangtang (7.5 MW) operated by the Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The Department of Hydro Power Development (DHPD) oversees the operations of the state-owned small hydropower projects (SHPs), which have been vital in supplying electricity to areas where grid connectivity is challenging due to the terrain, as well in border areas of the State under the Golden Jubilee Border Village Illumination Programme.

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh is dedicated to restore and maintain SHPs by actively engaging IPPs. This initiative aims to harness the expertise of IPPs to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of SHPs, ultimately contributing to the state's energy goals and promoting economic development. This policy aims to provide guidelines for engaging IPPs through Renovate-Own-Operate- Transfer (ROOT) model in revamping the SHPs, enhance energy security and promote economic growth. These efforts align with the state's vision of 2025-2035 as the 'Decade of Hydropower' highlighting the importance of utilizing renewable energy resources effectively.

III. Definitions :

Definitions of the terminologies used in the policy document :

(i) APST : Arunachal Pradesh Schedule Tribe (APST) means permanent resident of Arunachal Pradesh and belongs to such a tribe that has been recognized as a Scheduled Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 and subsequent amendments made therein from time to time.

(ii) Banking of Power : Banking of Power is an arrangement where a generator can supply excess energy to the grid and later withdraw a corresponding amount of energy from the grid when needed.

(iii) Developer : The bidder selected to revamp the Small Hydropower Plants through ROOT model.

(iv) DHPD : Department of Hydro Power Development, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.

(v) Free Power : Free Power means percentage of power generated from the projects to be given to the State free of cost.

(vi) IPP : Independent Power Producer (IPP) is a generating company not owned/controlled by the Central/State Government.

(vii) LADF : Local Area Development Fund (LADF) means the amount to be paid to the State Government by the developer for development of the area(s) affected by implementation of the project(s).

(viii) MoA : MoA stands for Memorandum of Agreement signed between the State Government and the Independent Power Producer.

(ix) Policy : ROOT Policy for Small Hydropower Projects in Arunachal Pradesh, 2026.

(x) ROOT : Renovate - Own - Operate - Transfer model is a Public-Private Partnership approach where a private entity renovates a public asset, owns and operates and then transfer the existing infrastructure facility back to the public sector after a set period.

(xi) SHPs : Small Hydropower Projects (SHPs) are Hydroelectric power plants with capacity less than 25 MW or as defined by the State Hydro Power Policy.

IV. Need for Policy :

Arunachal Pradesh holds vast untapped hydroelectric potential and the state is actively working to harness this resource while modernizing and upgrading existing facilities. To fulfil the vision of 'Decade of Hydropower', the state government aims to build synergy with the private sector players utilizing their expertise to effectively and efficiently utilize the potential in the state.

The Department of Hydro Power Development currently operates approximately 82 MW of Small Hydro Power (SHP) plants in the state. However, the department is facing challenges in maintaining efficient operation of these plants. Key factors contributing to the inefficiencies include ageing-related wear and tears, inadequate preventive maintenance due to insufficient stock of spare parts, a shortage of skilled operators and technicians with limited exposure, and geographical constraints. As a result, the state is unable to fully harness the potential of its operational SHP plants.

To address these challenges, the Department plans to engage Independent Power Producers (IPPs) on ROOT model for management and upkeep of the operational SHPs. Engaging IPPs on ROOT basis will ensure availability of trained manpower, performance reliability, operational analysis and preventive maintenance. By leveraging the ROOT model, the Department aims to maximize the potential of underutilized assets, effectively turning liabilities into valuable opportunities.

V. Objectives of the Policy :

The primary objective of this policy shall be to :

1. Rejuvenate the small hydropower sector in Arunachal Pradesh through optimized asset utilization, establishing it as a dependable source of clean energy.

2. Utilize the full potential of the operational SHPs, making them efficient and fully functional to enhance energy security in the state.

3. Employ state-of-the-art technology to address current challenges, thereby improving the lifespan,efficiency, output, availability and reliability of these power plants. Published and printed by Directorate of Printing and Stationery, Naharlagun—281/2026-DoP-250-5-2026. 36 Part - III] The Arunachal Pradesh Gazette, May 15, 2026 VI. Scope/Application of the Policy : The provisions of this policy shall be applicable for renovation and revamping of small hydropower plants under the ROOT model which are under the ownership of the Department of Hydro Power Development (DHPD).

VII. Project Identification :

The DHPD shall identify the applicable SHPs for renovation under this policy which shall be grouped into packages/bundles based on their capacity, ranging from 500 kW to 25 MW. The DHPD shall periodically notify the basin-wise list of such identified bundles of the projects, which will be made available for competitive bidding.

VIII. Eligibility Criteria :

1. Bidders must fulfill the eligibility criteria as per the table below to be eligible under this policy. Preference shall be given to the bidder with a greater number of successfully completed hydroelectric projects of comparable scope and complexity. Additional preference shall be accorded to bidders with demonstrated regional experience in the ownership of hydroelectric projects in Arunachal Pradesh. The details shall be set out in the tender/RFP and the technical bid documents.

criteria :

(i) Profit-making company with average stand-alone/consolidated turnover  INR 15 Cr. in last 3 years;

(ii) No defaults on the loan repayments in last three years and Bank credit limit of  INR 5 Cr.;

(iii) Net worth of the company must be  INR 50 Cr.;

(IX) Framework for Implementation :

1. Selection of developer :

(i) The Government of Arunachal Pradesh shall allocate projects from the list of notified projects to the developers on ROOT basis following a transparent two-stage bidding procedure. The projects shall be allocated to the successful bidders for tenure of 30 years. After the completion of tenure of the project, the developer shall transfer the project on 'AS-IS- WHERE-IS' basis as per clause 10.3 and 10.4 of this policy.

(ii) The extension of the time period of allocation of the project shall be considered after due diligence, discussion and mutual agreement between the Government and the developer. In such case, a separate agreement shall be signed between the Government and the developer before extending the allocation.

(iii) The project shall be allocated to the developers/bidders post the two-stage bidding process. In the first stage, the developers/bidders shall be assessed based on their financial and technical soundness. In the second stage, financial bids shall be called from the pre- qualified bidders and the bidder(s) offering the highest Free Power to State Government over and above the benchmark free power rate for the total capacity of the package, as mentioned in the table below, shall be selected as a successful bidder.

(iv) The selected developer shall be required to ensure supply of minimum energy / power which shall be specified by the DHPD in the tender documents.

(v) The State Government shall issue Letter of Award (LoA) to the successful Developer within 30 days of opening of financial bid.

(vi) The selected developer shall pay the designated processing fee (non-refundable) for the package as mentioned in the table below as per the total capacity of the package allocated:

(a) 2% of estimated cost of the tender, for work costing up to INR. 10 Cr.

(b) INR. 20 lakh plus 1% excess of estimated cost of tender in excess of INR. 10 Cr., for works estimated to cost more than INR. 10 Cr.

(viii) The selected developer shall pay the processing fee (non-refundable) and the refundable bank guarantee, as mentioned in IX.1.vi and IX.1.vii respectively, at the time of signing the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh for the package, which shall be signed within 30 days of issuing of LoA. If the selected bidder fails to do so, the State Government reserves the exclusive right to re-assign the package to another eligible bidder.

(ix) If there are multiple applicants who equally meet the financial and technical eligibility criteria with a similar financial bid, preference shall be given to the APST developer.

(x) The prospective bidders at their own cost and prior permission from the State Government shall visit and inspect the project sites and its environment before the submission of the bid.

(xi) The State Government reserves the right to cancel the bid of any bidder at any stage if any discrepancies, anomalies, or non-compliance related to the qualification criteria are identified without assigning reasons.

2. Implementation policy and schedule :

(i) The developer shall fulfil all post-award obligations within 6 (six) months from the date of signing the MoA. This shall include preparing the DPR for necessary renovation and modernization (R&M) of the project(s) in the package and/or uprating the SHP, if applicable, as required for normal operation, securing possession of the project(s), and obtaining all necessary statutory clearances from the State Government, as applicable. The developer shall also submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the State Government for review and approval of System Coordination and Techno-Economic Clearance (SC and TEC).

(ii) The Evaluation Committee shall be appointed by the State Government, which shall be headed by the Commissioner (DHPD), and shall include Chief Engineer (Planning, Development and Coordination) as member secretary, Joint Secretary (DHPD) as member and Chief Engineer of respective basins as member.

(iii) The Evaluation Committee shall scrutinize the project's DPR submitted by the developer for System Coordination and Techno-Economic Clearance (SC and TEC), either independently or through its consultant. The committee shall examine all aspects of the project, including (a) coordinated system planning, (b) technical soundness, and (c) economy, for the purpose of granting System Coordination and Techno-Economic Clearance (SC and TEC).

(iv) If the Evaluation Committee on Technical and Economic Affairs determines that the project is not feasible, the State Government, in mutual agreement with the developer, shall terminate the agreement, refund the bank guarantee to the developer without interest and no other expenses shall be refunded. The refund of bank guarantee shall be after receipt of an undertaking from the developer that no other claims shall be made on the State Government.

(v) The selected developer shall be responsible for obtaining the periodic clearances as applicable from time to time on behalf of DHPD, as applicable. The developer shall also comply with the necessary permits and clearances, ensuring such permits and clearances are kept valid throughout the agreement period. The cost incurred in obtaining and maintaining such permits or clearances shall be borne by the developer at their own cost.

(vii) The project (s) should be recommissioned after completing the necessary revival and renovation works within the stipulated timeframe. The time limit for executing these works shall be determined based on the nature and extent of the work. However, during execution, additional work might arise and therefore, in such cases, a suitable time extension shall be granted without any cost implications. The Chief Engineer of the respective basin from DHPD shall be the competent authority to grant such extensions, as the case may be.

(viii) During execution, the work's progress shall be reviewed against the milestones set in the MoA. If the selected developer fails to achieve the expected progress, they shall be required to pay liquidated damages as prescribed in the MoA.

X. Process of Handover of Small Hydro Power Plants (SHPs) :

(i) The DHPD shall hand over all available and applicable clearances and the project to the selected developer within 30 days after the State Government has notified its intent to transfer the project. The project shall be handed over on an 'AS IS WHERE IS BASIS' along with all spares, tools, plants, package sheds, drawings, etc.

(ii) A joint survey shall be conducted by the State Government and the selected developer before handover of the project. The handover shall be done on the mutual agreement based on the survey report.

(iii) At the completion of the tenure of the project as per the MoA, the developer shall transfer the project to the DHPD on 'AS IS WHERE IS' basis free of cost and in good condition.

(iv) A joint survey shall be carried out by the state government and the selected developer before final handover of the project.

XI. Generation and Sale of Power :

(i) Over and above the free power quoted, the State Government shall have the first right to buy 20% of the total power generated from the project at tariff as determined by the appropriate regulatory authority, as applicable. The State Government shall exercise this right within 90 days of receiving the offer from the developer, following the signing of MoA. A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) shall be made for this power acquisition between the State Government and the developer. In case the State Government chooses not to exercise this right, the developer shall have the freedom to sell the power from the project to any other party at their discretion.

(ii) In the event of damages caused by floods or landslides within the project area, the developer shall be responsible for undertaking the necessary restorative work. The developer shall prepare detailed cost estimate for the expenditures incurred for restorative works beyond the insurance coverage, if any, and shall apply for inclusion of additional expenditure amount in the project's tariff determination process post discussion with the State Government. This shall only be applicable for the electricity sold to the State Government.

(iii) The developer shall have the option of trading and sale of the power generated from the project beyond the agreed quantity of power to be sold to the State Government.

XII. Power Evacuation :

(i) The developer shall be responsible for upgrading or development of the evacuation system for the project and coordinating with relevant authorities for power evacuation from the generation site till the connection point with the state grid, if required. The developer shall also bear the full cost of grid interfacing, including any maintenance expenses for the evacuation system till the connection point with the state grid, if necessary, and this shall be included in the DPR for necessary renovation and modernization (R&M) to be prepared by the Developer as mentioned in Section IX.2.i of this Policy.

(ii) The developer shall allow the State Government to utilize its dedicated evacuation system, if any, and other infrastructure to the extent feasible, after accommodating the developer's needs for evacuating power generated from the project(s), if requested by the State Government. This use shall be subject to the payment of necessary charges by the State Government, as determined by the CERC/SERC/State Government, as applicable.

(iii) Banking of Power shall not be allowed without prior permission of the State Government.

(iv) The current transmission systems or those constructed for this purpose, along with other related facilities, shall be accessible for Open Access and power wheeling, contingent upon the availability of the necessary system. In case the power is sold to third party (parties) other than state government, the developer is required to enter into an agreement with the State Transmission Utility (STU) and pay a wheeling rate as determined by the SERC or State Government, as applicable.

XIII. Local Area Development Fund (LADF) :

All projects under this policy shall pay an amount to the State Government for the establishment of a Local Area Development Fund (LADF) impacted by the project(s). This amount shall be calculated at the rate mentioned in the State Small Hydro Power Policy, 2007 and its amendment from time to time.

XIV. Force Majeure :

Depending upon the Force Majeure being declared in circumstances like earthquakes, floods, fires, explosions, epidemics, cyclones, external invasions, civil unrest, riots, or landslides, which are beyond the developer's reasonable control, the developer shall be excused from fulfilling its obligations to the extent that these conditions prevent, delay, or interfere with performance for the duration that the Force Majeure persists. The developer is expected to make every effort to eliminate the cause of the Force Majeure as swiftly as possible and to resume performance diligently once the cause is removed. The State Government shall not be liable for any losses arising from such Force Majeure situations, including earthquakes, floods, fires, external invasions, civil unrest, or landslides and shall not entertain any claims made by the developer on account of these events.

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh shall be providing the following incentives to the selected developers :

(i) The developers shall be provided with the existing facilities, if any of the allocated SHP of the package, such as residential buildings, office complex etc. on As-Is-Where-Is basis.

(ii) A two-year moratorium, commencing on the COD, shall apply to the Free Power obligation for the package allocated to APST developer under this policy.

(iii) The State Government shall provide a single-window clearance mechanism for developers to obtain all required state-level No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and approvals.

XVI. General Provisions :

Provision regarding the taxes and duties, dispute resolution, period of enforcement

1. Appointment of Nodal Officer : DHPD shall designate a nodal officer responsible for facilitating activities like signing of MoA, project handover, securing necessary statutory clearances, grid connectivity and PPA with State Government, among other tasks. DHPD shall endeavor to observe the time bound commitments made in this policy.

2. Taxes and Duties : The selected developer is responsible for paying all applicable taxes, duties and other levies to the appropriate departments of the Central, State and Local Governments, unless specifically exempted. It is assumed that the selected developer has taken into account the relevant statutory provisions when signing the MoA.

3. Dispute Resolution : The State Government shall adopt to mediation under the Mediation Act, 2023 and/ or negotiated amicable settlements for resolution of disputes. The procedure for dispute resolution shall be as follows :

I. The State Government shall constitute a High-Level Committee (HLC) for dispute resolution which may include :

(i) A retired judge of the High Court.

(ii) A retired high-ranking officer and/ or technical expert.

II. In cases where a HLC is constituted, the State Government shall either:

(i) Negotiate directly with the other party and place a tentative proposed solution before the HLC; or

(ii) Conduct mediation through a mediator and then place the tentative mediated agreement before the HLC; or

(iii) Use the HLC itself as the mediator.

4. Penalties : The selected developer shall be required to guarantee a certain level of performance barring which; developer shall be penalized by DHPD. Further, Liquidated Damages (LD) shall be applicable to the developer for delays in starting the operation of the plant beyond agreed timeline. The details of minimum required performance, details of penalty and LD shall be mentioned in the technical bid and the contract, as applicable, which shall be signed by both parties.

5. The State Government shall not provide any Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the projects.

6. The allocation of a project to a developer does not automatically grant them any territorial rights on both the upstream and downstream sides of the project area.

7. Developers should facilitate the use of tailrace water for agricultural or horticultural purposes wherever it is feasible and necessary.

8. The State Government reserves the right to use the tailrace water for other purposes, including the development of hydro projects, either on its own or by allocating it to another party.

9. Developer shall implement all necessary protective measures in the upstream, downstream and tailrace areas of the project site to prevent soil erosion and property damage.

XVII. Savings :

1. Unless otherwise specified, any matter not covered under this Policy shall continue to be governed by the Arunachal Pradesh Small Hydro Power Policy, 2007 and its subsequent amendments from time to time.

2. Upon cessation of this Policy, recovery and dispute resolution mechanisms shall continue to be in force, unless otherwise specified by the State Government.

XVIII. Power to Remove Difficulties :

1. If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Scheme, the State Government, may by an order, make such provisions, as appear to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty.

2. In the matter of interpretation of this Scheme, the decision of the State Government shall be final and binding.

XIX. Modification in the Policy :

The State Government may from time to time, issue amendments/corrigendum for compliances of various stakeholders as may be necessary for the removal of difficulties and smooth implementation of the scheme.

Sonam Chombay, IRS Commissioner (HPD), Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar.

The 4th May, 2026

No. T-E/7/2022-Dept T-E-N-TAX & EX.—In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the constitution of India, the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is pleased to make the following rules to regulate the method of recruitment to the post of Additional Commissioner, Group 'A' Gazetted, Non-Ministerial in the Department of Tax, Excise and Narcotics under the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, namely: -

1. Short title and commencement : (i) "These rules may be called" The Additional Commissioner

(Tax, Excise and Narcotics) Recruitment Rules, 2026".

(ii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Arunachal Pradesh Gazette.

2. These rules shall apply to the posts as specified in column 1 of the Schedule Annexed to the

Rules.

3. Number of posts, classification and Level in the Pay Matrix : The number of posts, their classifications and the level in the Pay Matrix attached thereto shall be as specified in column 2 to 4 in the Schedule aforesaid.

4. Method of Recruitment, age limit and other qualifications : The method of recruitment to the posts, age limit, qualifications and other matters relating thereto shall be as specified in columns 5 to 13 of the Schedule aforesaid.

5. Disqualification : No Person :-

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living or

(b) who having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, shall be eligible for the appointment to the said post.

Provided that the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh may if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal Law applicable to such person and the party to the marriage and there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person for the operation of these rules.

6. Power to relax : Where the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, he may by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of person.

7. Repeal and saving: All rules and procedures corresponding to these rules and procedures in force immediately before the commencement of these rules are hereby repealed, provided that any order made or action taken under the rules so repealed shall be deemed to have been validly made or taken under the corresponding provisions of these rules.

Nothing in these rules shall affect reservation/relaxation of age limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh from time to time in this regard.

Commissioner to Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar.

DEPARTMENT OF TAX, EXCISE AND NARCOTICS RECRUITMENT RULES FOR THE POST OF ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER SCHEDULE (See Rule 2, 3 & 4)