GUWAHATI: The Arunachal Pradesh government on Friday approved the adoption of model guidelines for ‘support persons’ under Section 39 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, with necessary state-specific modifications.Trained support persons will help children who are victims of crimes, including sexual abuse, and often feel scared, confused and alone during police investigations and court trials.Sharing the details, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said one trained person would support every 10 child victims.“They’ll guide the child through medical checks, police questions, and court hearings, and make sure the child feels safe, heard, and not alone,” the chief minister said, adding that Arunachal made changes to suit local needs and ensure better help.Khandu also stated that this step would ensure that children get the emotional and practical support they need to face the legal process with dignity.“This will ensure a child-friendly justice process, offer emotional and legal support to child victims and enhance protection for vulnerable children in court proceedings,” he further stated.The cabinet also approved several significant decisions aimed at strengthening technical education, public safety and administrative efficiency.It approved the raising of an India Reserve Battalion. The state currently has two State Armed Police Battalions and five India Reserve Battalions.“The addition of a new battalion will significantly augment policing capacity, improve public safety, maintain law and order, and reduce reliance on Central Armed Police Forces. This will also generate employment opportunities for eligible local youth,” a government statement said.Taking to X, Khandu wrote, “In today’s cabinet, we focused on what matters: generating revenue, maintaining strong fiscal health, and unlocking the potential of our natural resources like hydropower. With a steady focus on revenue and fiscal discipline, we’ve put ourselves in a strong position to create more jobs and opportunities for our youth.”
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