Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday announced a significant financial package for the Donyi Polo Mission School for Hearing and Visually Impaired. The grant-in-aid for the school will be increased from ₹1.4 crore to ₹2 crore annually, and a ₹5 crore corpus fund will be created to secure the institution’s long-term future. The announcement was made during a special workshop held under the “Let’s Speak Arunachal” initiative, themed Empowering Youth Voices and Building Pathways, hosted at the school premises. The Deputy CM assured that both the enhanced annual grant and the new corpus fund will be included in the upcoming state budget. Founded in 1990 by former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, the Donyi Polo Mission School has played a pivotal role in the state’s special education landscape. It offers free education, therapy, and vocational training to children with hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities.
Over the decades, it has empowered hundreds of children who are often left behind in mainstream education systems. Paying homage to Gegong Apang’s visionary leadership, Mein said, “This institution has been a beacon of hope for many students marginalised due to their disabilities. Our government is committed to sustaining and strengthening it in the years to come, just as previous governments have done.”In a further gesture of support, Mein instructed his office to begin procuring gift paper bags made by the students from recycled materials—a move aimed at encouraging creativity, promoting sustainability, and fostering financial independence among differently-abled children.
During his speech, Mein also underscored the importance of communication and public speaking in shaping confident, expressive youth. “It is essential to equip our young minds with the skills they need to express themselves confidently and articulately,” he said, highlighting the role of soft skills in today’s evolving world. The Deputy CM praised the efforts of the Let’s Speak Arunachal team, especially its founder Porsum Ori and secretary Tana Jiri, for taking the initiative to schools across the state. He noted that such platforms not only enhance student confidence but also contribute meaningfully to youth development and empowerment.
