Arunachal govt forms high-level panel to coordinate Upper Siang mega power project survey
Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to constitute an empowered high-level committee to guide and coordinate the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) survey and related activities for the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Siang and Upper Siang districts, officials said.
The SUMP is a mega hydropower initiative with a proposed generation capacity of 11,000 MW and it is a project of national strategic importance, not only for the Northeastern state but for the entire country.
The SUMP, estimated at Rs 1.5 lakh crore, is expected to significantly transform the development landscape of Siang district, whose name derives from the mighty Brahmaputra river, locally known in Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang river.
A senior official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that the state Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday passed a resolution approving the constitution of the empowered high-level committee to guide and coordinate the PFR Survey and associated activities for the proposed SUMP in Siang and Upper Siang districts.
He added that the resolution reflects the state government’s continuing commitment to ensuring the survey is carried out in a transparent, peaceful and people-centric manner.
The State Cabinet noted that the project has been declared a National Project by the Union government in 2008, underlining its strategic significance for the nation and Arunachal Pradesh, with the potential to strengthen water and energy security, aid flood moderation in the Siang-Brahmaputra basin, generate employment, and support long-term socio-economic development of the Siang region, the CMO official said.
To guide this engagement, the resolution constituted an empowered high-level committee under the chairmanship of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ojing Tasing, with Alo Libang, Advisor to the Chief Minister and MLA, Yingkiong and Tuting, and MLAs Oni Panyang and Geku-Mariyang as Members.
According to the official, the State Cabinet also took note of concerns raised by some sections of people in these districts regarding misinformation and disinformation being spread by certain vested interests and further resolved that PFR’s peaceful conduct depends on sustained, meaningful engagement with residents of Siang and Upper Siang districts.
The Cabinet emphasised that the voices, welfare and aspirations of likely Project Affected Families (PAFs) and local communities have always been, and will always remain, central to the process.
The Cabinet further reaffirmed its commitment to development that respects local traditions and community interests, expressing confidence that dialogue will help the survey proceed peacefully, in the larger interest of the Siang region and the nation, the official said.