Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], February 9 (HBTV): Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt General KT Parnaik (Retd.) has said that the state has 40 per cent of India's hydropower potential, which can spearhead the nation's goals towards green energy. It can also generate huge revenues for the state, he said. 

Addressing the 13th session of the state’s seventh legislative assembly in Itanagar on Thursday, the governor said, "Arunachal Pradesh includes 40 per cent of India's hydropower potential. This can spearhead the nation's aim for green energy, and also generate huge revenues for the state."

"In the past 8 years, the state government has successfully commissioned the Payu Micro Hydel Station (MHS) at Pinchi with a total capacity of 500 Killo-Watt (kW), commissioned the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Project which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and dedicated to the nation," he said.

It has also commissioned a total of 17 projects to date under the Golden Jubilee Border Village Illumination programme and signed agreements with 3 central PSUs for kick-starting 13 stalled Mega Hydro Projects of 12,523 Mega-Watt (MW) capacity, he added. 

These projects entail a cumulative investment of close to INR 1.4 lakh crore and will generate annual revenue of INR 10,000 crore when completed. Overall, the state government has invested a total of INR 1,013.8 crore in the Hydropower sector in the past 7 years, with the singular impact of - a 213 per cent increase in our installed hydropower capacity from 405 MW in 2015-16 to 1,270 MW in 2022-23, making Arunachal the second power surplus State in the North-East.   

The construction of the Subansiri Lower Hydro electrical Project with a capacity of 2,000 MW is nearing completion, making it the Largest Hydropower Dam in the country at present, which will only be surpassed by the 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Project, when completed, the Arunachal Pradesh governor said. 

The governor also said that the Vibrant Village Programme is a shining example of synergy and convergence to create infrastructure in the remotest areas of the state. 

"With the motto 'connectivity to activity to vibrancy' in our border areas,  1,452 villages have been systematically mapped, 455 priority villages have been identified for development, and 252 border habitations have been connected through the construction of 2,506 km of roads, to improve ease of living of remote rural communities," the governor said.     

(Inputs from ANI. This news article has been edited for clarity)