- NET Web Desk
In an attempt to improve connectivity for boosting development along the Northeastern regions, the Arunachal Pradesh Government is stressing on strengthening digital infrastructure and stretch erections during the current calendar year, informed the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Emphasizing on road connectivity which remains to be the most challenging issue in the frontier state, the CM asserted about completing two vital projects which deals with interconnecting Tali & Vijaynagar by 2022.
“The authorities will emphasise on completion of two vital projects in 2022 Tali road in Kra Daadi district and Miao-Vijaynagar in Changlang,” – stated the CM in an interview with PTI.
“I have taken a challenge to complete these two roads by 2022. The Miao-Vijaynagar road is one of the oldest projects and the work had begun when Arunachal Pradesh was a Union Territory,” Khandu further added.
According to the CM, his government would ensure the early completion of the two projects, and connect both Tali and Vijaynagar through roads.
He further spoke about various core infrastructure projects under the Digital Connectivity Programme which are still in progress along Arunachal Pradesh, including – National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN), State Wide Area Network (SWAN), Supervisory Development Centre and National Knowledge Network.
While been asked about his vision for the next ten years, Khandu maintained that he wants to see Arunachal as a transformed state with the highest ranking in the happiness index. “In the next ten years, the state will witness transformation in the tourism industry and reformation in the power sector as many mega hydropower projects will be completed.” – he stated.
“There will be a sea change in communication which will, in turn develop the agriculture and horticulture segments in the state,” the CM said.
“The 2000-megawatt Lower Subansiri project will be completed by the 2022-23 fiscal, and a unit of 500 MW of the facility is likely to be made operational by August, he said. Work on Dibang project of 2880 MW, the biggest hydropower generation facility in the country, will start soon and will be completed within eight years,” he said.
The government has also planned eight power projects with a total of 11,000 MW installed capacity and is in talks with Public Sector Undertakings such as NHPC Ltd, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation, NTPC Ltd, THDC India and SJVNL, Khandu further added.
Its worthy to note that the Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein recently convened a meeting with officials of major energy giants in New Delhi, to chalk-out projects for Arunachal Pradesh to add 32415 MW of “Green Power” into the National grid.
During this interaction, the national public sector undertaking & power-producer Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) assured the state government of investing a total of Rs 60,000 (sixty-thousand) crores for harnessing 5,097 megawatts (MW) of hydropower in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The projects, namely – Etalin Hydroelectric Project (HEP) (3,097 MW), Attunli HEP (680 MW), Emini HEP (500 MW), Amulin HEP (420 MW) and Mihumdon HEP (400 MW) are located in the Dibang basin of Arunachal Pradesh.
Responding to another query on sustainable exploration of shale oil in the northeastern state, the chief minister said his government has already requested the Centre to carry out a study for carrying-out extraction of this resource. “Shale oil is under Schedule I, which comes under the Centre’s domain,” he said.
