Finance ministry conference
NEW DELHI, 19 Sep: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein sought a special economic package for Arunachal Pradesh from the Centre.
Participating in the inaugural day of a two-day conference on 'Financing India's Journey Towards a Viksit Bharat', organised by the Union Finance Ministry here on Friday, Mein stated that, though Arunachal is a small state compared to economically advanced states of the country, it is the largest state in the Northeast region geographically, and sought separate provision for the state through the granting of special economic package, citing high-cost index due to difficult terrains, long duration of rainyseasons due to which the state gets short working seasons, coupled with high transportation cost leading to high operational cost in the remote and hilly areas, and absence of externally aided funds.
However, he said that, despite all these constraints, the state government has been maintaining fiscal discipline under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act and has kept the fiscal deficit within the prescribed limits without defaulting on payment of salaries, pensions, and other committed liabilities, including debt management.
He informed also that Arunachal is one of the states with the "highest capital expenditure invested in infrastructure, connectivity, power, health and education, and has expanded the social sector activities and created multiplier effects across all sectors of the economy."
The inaugural function, held at Bharat Mandapam here, was attended by, among others, union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary.
The conference brought together state and UT finance ministers, economists, academicians, senior officials from the Union Finance Ministry, and various state/UT governments to deliberate on economic development, agricultural transformation, energy transition, better resource utilisation through technology, and financial strategies.
The DCM was accompanied by planning and investment adviser RK Sharma, Finance Commissioner YW Ringu, and Power Commissioner AK Singh at the conference.
'Arunachal can power India's clean energy transition'
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Saturday said Arunachal's potential in harnessing its hydropower resources can play a major role in India's clean energy transition and contribute to the country's energy security.
Addressing the conference, he said hydropower is stable and dependable renewable energy and complements intermittent sources such as solar and wind.
Sustainable development of Arunachal's hydropower resources should not be viewed only as a state priority but as a strategic national opportunity, said the deputy chief minister, who also holds the power and hydropower portfolios.
"Arunachal Pradesh has an assessed hydropower potential of nearly 58,000 mw, accounting for around 40 percent of the country's total hydropower potential. The state has set a target of harnessing 40,000 mw of hydropower capacity by 2047," he said.
Highlighting the progress in the sector, Mein said the state's installed hydropower capacity has increased from 405 mw in 2016 to around 1,200 mw, and further to 2,270 mw following the recent commissioning of the Subansiri Lower Project.
Under its 'Decade of Hydropower 2025-35' vision, Arunachal plans to commission 19,000 mw of new hydropower capacity, supported by an investment pipeline of around Rs 1.9 lakh crore.
Mein said around 19,000 mw of projects are already at various stages of development, including a 4,880 mw facility under construction. The hydropower sector is expected to create more than 30,000 direct and 16,000 indirect employment opportunities, he said.
Given the state's difficult terrain and remote locations, he called for integrated planning of hydropower projects with high-capacity transmission systems and renewable energy aggregation infrastructure.
He said responsible development of hydropower, supported by strong transmission infrastructure and increased investment, could enable Arunachal to make a significant contribution to India's clean energy transition while creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth. (DCM's PR Cell, with PTI input)
