On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for 13 development initiatives in Arunachal Pradesh, with a combined investment exceeding Rs 5,127 crore.
The projects, unveiled virtually at an event held at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, include two significant hydroelectric plants with a combined capacity of 426 MW, to be implemented by the state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).
A state official stated that NEEPCO and the Arunachal Pradesh government are jointly developing these two power plants at an estimated cost of over Rs 3,700 crore.
The projects comprise the 186-MW Tato-I hydroelectric plant and the 240-MW Heo hydroelectric plant over the Yarjep River in the Shi Yomi district, with a total annual electricity generation of 1,803 million units.
The Prime Minister also addressed a large public gathering at Indira Gandhi Park.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited an exhibition showcasing local products and interacted with artisans, craftspersons, and traders.
Following the commissioning of the two power plants, Arunachal Pradesh will receive free power valued at over Rs 98 crore annually, along with a Local Area Development Fund of more than Rs 16 crore for community initiatives, the official added.
Additionally, the Prime Minister virtually laid the foundation for a modern integrated convention centre in Tawang, estimated to cost Rs 147 crore.
The centre will likely host conferences, exhibitions, and meetings, while creating employment opportunities in tourism, services, and handicrafts.
The PM also inaugurated 10 other infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,291 crore, including the 1,830-km Frontier Highway and the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP).
The Frontier Highway, planned along the McMahon Line from Bomdila in West Kameng district to Vijaynagar in Changlang district, aims to enhance national security and improve border connectivity.
Under VVP Phase II, 122 border villages will receive all-weather roads, 4G connectivity, and on-grid electrification. Of these, 67 villages are along the India-Myanmar border and 55 along the India-Bhutan border.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned Rs 2,205 crore for VVP Phase II, which seeks to develop strategic villages along international borders, improve living standards, provide livelihood opportunities, strengthen internal security, and integrate border populations as ‘eyes and ears’ of border forces.
The overall VVP initiative, with an outlay of Rs 6,839 crore, will run in select villages across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal until the financial year 2028-29.
Present at the event were Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt General (Retd) KT Parnaik, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, state Assembly Speaker Tesam Pongte, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, and Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia.
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