Itanagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth more than ₹5,100 crore in Arunachal Pradesh, marking a significant step in the government’s vision to transform the North East into the driving force of India’s growth.
Addressing a large gathering in Itanagar on the first day of Navratri, the Prime Minister said Arunachal Pradesh is not just the “land of the rising sun” but also a land of patriotism, peace, and culture. “From the Tawang Monastery to the Golden Pagoda in Namsai, Arunachal represents a confluence of peace and culture, and is the pride of Mother India,” he remarked.
Among the key projects, Modi laid the foundation stone of two major hydropower projects the 240 MW Heo Hydro Electric Project and the 186 MW Tato-I Hydro Electric Project together worth over ₹3,700 crore. These projects are expected to strengthen Arunachal’s position as a major power producer, generate jobs, and provide affordable electricity for developmental activities. He also unveiled plans for a state-of-the-art convention centre in Tawang, capable of hosting over 1,500 delegates, to boost tourism and cultural exchange in the region.
The Prime Minister also launched multiple infrastructure initiatives worth ₹1,290 crore, covering connectivity, healthcare, fire safety, working women hostels, and education. He noted that improved roads, airports, and heliports under schemes like UDAN are transforming accessibility, making it easier for farmers, students, and small industries to connect with national markets.
Highlighting his government’s emphasis on citizen welfare, Modi announced the GST Savings Festival, which simplifies tax slabs to just 5% and 18%. He said this reform, along with recent income tax relief, is providing households a “double bonanza,” reducing the cost of essentials such as food, medicines, clothing, and education materials. “Ease of Living, Ease of Travel, Ease of Medical Treatment, Ease of Education, and Ease of Doing Business our focus is to make every aspect of life easier,” he said.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the Northeast, long neglected by previous governments, has now become central to India’s development. Describing the eight states as “Ashtalakshmi,” he noted that Arunachal alone has received over ₹1 lakh crore from central taxes in the past decade, compared to just ₹6,000 crore earlier. He also cited the success of the Vibrant Villages Programme, which has brought roads, electricity, and internet to over 450 border villages, turning once “last villages” into the nation’s “first villages” and new hubs of tourism.
PM Modi concluded by urging citizens to adopt the mantra of Swadeshi, buying and selling Made-in-India products, which he said would accelerate not only the Northeast’s progress but also the nation’s journey to becoming a developed India by 2047.
Governor K.T. Parnaik, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju were present at the ceremony, which symbolized both Arunachal’s cultural pride and its developmental leap forward.
