Itanagar, Oct 7 (IANS) The Arunachal Pradesh cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, on Tuesday approved the formation of two Joint Venture Companies (JVCs) to commission seven mega hydropower projects in the state, officials said.

An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that NHPC-Arunachal Green Energy Limited will be formed for Kamala 1720 MW and Subansiri Upper 1605 MW capacity hydropower plants. The NEEPCO-Arunachal Hydro Power Corporation Limited will be formed for the Tato I, Tato II, Heo, Naying, and Hirong power projects. These initiatives will play a pivotal role in realising the Decade of Hydro Power (2025-2035), targeting 19 GW of capacity and attracting investments, creating jobs and contributing to India’s net-zero goals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh on September 22 and laid the foundation stone for two major hydro power projects with a total generation capacity of 426 MW, and both the projects would be commissioned by the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).

The projects include the Heo Hydro Electric Project (240 MW) and the Tato-I Hydro Electric Project (186 MW) of NEEPCO, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited.

According to the official, these two power projects, having an estimated cost of over Rs 3,700 crore, are being developed by NEEPCO in a joint venture with the government of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Heo Hydro Electric Project (3×80 MW), located in the Siyom sub-basin of Shi Yomi district, will generate about 1000 MUs annually. The Tato-I Hydro Electric Project (3×62 MW) will generate about 803 MUs annually.

Tuesday’s cabinet meeting was held at Miao in Changlang District instead of the capital city, Itanagar, as part of the state government’s mission of ‘Cabinet Aapke Dwar’ (cabinet at your doorstep).

The Cabinet took several major policy and administrative decisions aimed at strengthening governance, promoting inclusive education, improving service delivery, and accelerating the state’s socio-economic growth, the CMO official said.

In order to streamline the process of conducting Gram Panchayat elections, the government has decided to amend the rules for the conduct of panchayat elections.

The official said that as per the cabinet decision, rules will be framed that nomination paper can be rejected if election agent holds any office of profit, polling agent must reach polling station one hour before start of poll, also provision has been made to use EVM in panchayat elections, Deputy Commissioner of the districts will be empowered to decide upon the complaint made against a Member of Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Gram Panchayat (GP) by his/her party, member of ZP/GP found indulging in any anti-part activity will be a ground for disqualification.

He said that Introducing provisions of NOTA (None of the above) provisions will be introduced in the Zilla Parishad Elections.

The cabinet also approved amendments to Section 11 of the Arunachal Pradesh Salaries, Allowances, and Pension of Legislative Assembly Act, 1983, granting pensionary benefits of Rs 60,000 per month to Ex-Council Members and Ex-MLAs who served for full or partial terms, the CMO official said.

–IANS

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