As of February 2024[update], the Indian state Arunachal Pradesh comprised 28 districts,[1] including Itanagar capital complex,[2] with more districts proposed.[3] Most of the districts are inhabited by various tribal groups. The latest and presently valid official map of districts of Arunachal Pradesh, after the most recent new districts were last announced on 30 August 2018, is in the external links.
History
Year of formation of districts in Arunachal Pradesh
Numbers in brackets represent total number of districts in the state
In September 1965, when control of the North-East Frontier Agency was transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs, its five divisions, Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit and Tirap each became districts. Over the next few years many new districts were created out of the original five:
In 1972, when Arunachal became a state, the Itanagar was designated as the capital complex as a separate district level administrative unit.
On 13 May 1980 Subansiri district was bifurcated into two districts: Lower Subansiri district and Upper Subansiri district. Upper Subansiri district comprised the area occupied by the erstwhile Daporijo sub-division and Lower Subansiri district comprised the rest of the area occupied by the erstwhile Subansiri district.[4]
On 1 June 1980,
The erstwhile Lohit district was divided into two districts: Lohit district and Dibang Valley district.[5]
On 4 December 2017, a new district called Kamle district was created from Lower Subansiri District and Upper Subansiri District, with its headquarters to be located in Raga.[22] It comprises the administrative circles of Raga (which will be the district HQ), Kumporijo and Dollungmukh circles from Lower Subansiri District.[3] The administrative circles taken from Upper Subansiri District will be Gepen Circle, Puchigeko Circle, Daporijo Sadar which falls under 25 Raga Constituency including Ligu and Liruk demarcation from Sigen Subansiri confluence in Single Administrative Unit.[citation needed]
On 30 August 2018, following 3 new districts were formed:
Pakke-Kesang carved out of East Kameng district with five administrative units namely Pakke-Kessang, Seijosa, Pijiriang, Passa Valley and Dissingn Passo with district headquarters at Lemmi.
Lepa-Rada created by bifurcating the Lower Siang district with headquarters at Basar and 4 administrative units namely Tirbin, Basar, Daring and Sago.
Shi-Yomi created by bifurcating the West Siang district with its headquarters at Tato and 4 administrative units namely Mechuka, Tato, Pidi and Manigong.[23]
On 7 February 2024, following 2 new districts were formed:
Bichomfrom 20 villages from West Kameng and 11 from East Kameng district.[2] It entails 3 circles – Bana, Richikrong and Lada – where Aka and Nyishi tribes live.[citation needed]
Keyi Panyor with 195 villages carved out from Lower Subansiri district and will also include Ter Gapin and Sam Sath area.[2]
Districts of Arunachal Pradesh since 2018
Legend： Capital Year created 2018 Year created 2017 Year created 2015 Created before 2015
The districts of Arunachal Pradesh state are administrative geographical units, each headed by a deputy commissioner, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service and a superintendent of police, an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service.
List of districts, clockwise starting from west, is as follows:[24]
North Subansiri district (HQ- Sarli): from existing 3 districts, namely Kurung Kumey district, Kra Daadi district and Upper Subansiri district on the northernmost Indo-China border entailing the subdivisions of Sarli and Damin from "Kurung Kumey district", Pipsorang and Longding Koling from "Kra Daadi district", and Taksing, Limeking, Nacho and Siyum from the "Upper Subansiri district". It lies west of Koloriang.[citation needed]
Kumey district (HQ- Patuk): from existing Kurung Kumey district will have 12,000 population across Damin, Parsi-Parlo and Panja-Sing circles.[27] It lies east of Sarli and Koloriang.
Tuting district (HQ - Tuting): from existing Upper Siang district, including Singa, Gelling, Paling and Miging and Tuting circles of Tuting sub-division on India-China border along the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra River).[27]
Sinik district (Singa district) (HQ- Singa): from existing Upper Siang district. There is demand to create two districts out of Nacho constituency and subdivision -Tuting district in Sinik district.[27] This lies on India-China border southeast of Tuting towards Anini.
Asunli district (HQ: Asunli) : from western "Dibang Valley district", west of Anini towards Tuting & Singa.
Engolin (HQ: Engolin) : from northern "Dibang Valley district", north of Mipi and Anini.
Malinye district (HQ: Malinye) from eastern "Dibang Valley district", southeast of Anini and east of Etalin towards Chaglagam, immediate north of Fish Tail-II.
Esuli district i.e. Yamne-Sikang district[27] (HQ: Esuli) from south "Dibang Valley district", along Sikang river (Dibang River), 180 km south of Anini, 130 south of Etalin, 145 km north of Roing. Two NW-SE flowing tributary rivers meet the Dibang river at Esuli, one flowing along Cheppe and Egolin on Tuting-Singa-Cheppe/Egolin section of under construction Arunachal Frontier Highway, and other flowing parallel to the first one to its east along Asunli.
Rima district (HQ- Miao): from existing Changlang district was proposed in 2017 entail8ng existing subdivisions of Diyun, Bordumsa, Kharsang, Jairampur, Nampong, Rima-Putak (Tikhak), Miao, and Vijoynagar from the "Changlang district". However, it was unanimously opposed by the Changlang People's Forum in the same month.[28][29]
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