Itanagar, August 15: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu stated on Saturday that the state’s border villages are emerging as new centers for tourism, livelihoods, and local entrepreneurship. He highlighted that the ‘Vibrant Village Program’ is opening new opportunities for border communities.
During the flag-hoisting ceremony at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, held to mark the 80th Independence Day, Khandu noted that this initiative is enhancing infrastructure in border villages, strengthening local livelihoods, and promoting the region’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
He revealed that under the first phase of the ‘Vibrant Village Program’, projects worth approximately ₹28 billion are being implemented in 455 villages along the India-Tibet (China) border. The second phase will include 122 additional villages along the India-Myanmar and India-Bhutan borders.
Khandu emphasized that these initiatives aim to bolster infrastructure and connectivity in remote border areas while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.
He also mentioned Arunachal Pradesh’s vast hydropower potential, stating that the state plays a crucial role in the country’s clean energy transition and achieving net-zero targets.
“In line with this vision, we have declared 2025-2035 as the ‘Decade of Hydropower.’ Our goal is to establish around 19 gigawatts of hydropower capacity, requiring an estimated investment of ₹1.9 trillion,” he said.
Khandu pointed out that four out of eight units of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, described as India’s largest hydropower project, are already operational, generating 1,000 megawatts of clean energy. The remaining four units are expected to be operational this year.
According to Khandu, the central government has approved an investment of approximately ₹401.75 billion for the 1,720-megawatt Kamla Hydroelectric Project and the 1,200-megawatt Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project. Work is also ongoing on the Tato-I, Tato-II, and Heo hydropower projects.
Despite the state’s challenging geography, scattered population, and connectivity issues, Khandu’s government has made efforts over the past decade to address these shortcomings, ensuring that the benefits of development reach the last person.
“Development should reach every individual and every sector. No citizen should be left behind due to distance, geography, or any other reason,” he stated.
Khandu noted that over 150,000 women are connected to more than 16,000 self-help groups (SHGs) in the state, with many becoming entrepreneurs, community leaders, and agents of change.
Regarding education, he mentioned that ₹311.25 billion has been invested in the first phase of the ‘Mission Educate Arunachal’ to reform the education system. This includes improvements in infrastructure, administration, teaching quality, digital education, and institutional capacity.
Additionally, ₹50 billion has been allocated to develop 50 government schools as ‘Golden Jubilee Schools.’ As a result of these initiatives, enrollment in government schools has increased by 13.33%.
Khandu expressed solidarity with families affected by recent floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh and neighboring states Assam and Nagaland.
“Nature has once again tested us. This has posed significant challenges for our communities, impacting lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure,” he remarked.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for approving an advance amount of ₹445.5 million under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to strengthen relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas.
Khandu also recalled Prime Minister Modi‘s visit to Itanagar on September 22, 2025, during which he inaugurated and laid the foundation for development projects worth over ₹51 billion. This included the foundation stone for the 186-megawatt Tato-I and 240-megawatt Heo hydropower projects, which involve over ₹37 billion in investment in the state.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for environmentally friendly and sustainable development. He stated that as guardians of the country’s rich forests, rivers, biodiversity, and mountainous ecosystems, Arunachal Pradesh has a responsibility to advance development in a climate-friendly and environmentally responsible manner.
He also highlighted the announcement in the central budget to develop a Buddhist circuit in the Northeast, emphasizing efforts to promote the state’s rich Buddhist heritage.
Leave a Comment