Itanagar, Sep 22 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has steered Arunachal Pradesh to the peak of progress.

Taking to social media platform X, HM Shah wrote: “Modi government leads Arunachal Pradesh to peak of progress. The foundation laying of two major hydropower projects along with many development programs by PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji today marks a historic occasion.”

“The projects spanning power production, healthcare, connectivity and welfare will add a new impetus to the growth of Arunachal Pradesh tapping the state’s true potential. Gratitude to Modi Ji for the projects,” the Home Minister said.

Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in a separate post on the X earlier said that these projects, for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone on Monday in Itanagar, will create employment and opportunities for the youth, strengthen our culture and heritage, and infuse new energy into the development of my Northeast region both emotionally and socially.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday at a big public rally at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar virtually laid the foundation stone for 13 development projects worth over Rs 5,127 crore in Arunachal Pradesh.

Of the 13 infrastructure projects laid virtually during an event at the Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, two major hydro power projects with a total generation capacity of 426 MW would be commissioned by the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).

According to a state government 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 two projects are the 186-MW generation capacity Tato-I hydroelectric project and the 240-MW generation capacity Heo hydroelectric project over the Yarjep River in Shi Yomi district, and the total annual generation capacity will be 1,803 million units.

The Prime Minister also addressed a big public meeting at the Indira Gandhi Park in the capital city. After the commissioning of the two power plants, the state will get free power worth over Rs 98 crore and Local Area Development Fund of over Rs 16 crore every year for community development, an official said.

PM Modi also virtually laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art integrated convention centre at Tawang.

The convention centre would be built for Rs 147 crore. Besides holding meetings, conferences, and exhibitions, the proposed integrated convention centre will facilitate livelihood opportunities in tourism, services and handicrafts, the official pointed out.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for 10 infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,291 crore. The infrastructure projects also include the 1,830-km Frontier Highway project and the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP).

–IANS

sc/pgh