Itanagar, Jun 14 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday said
the government is making all efforts to augment state's revenue by harnessing its own resources, specially hydropower potential.
"Arunachal Pradesh has more than 1/3rd hydropower potential of the country, however, 98
percent of it remain untapped due to various reasons. Arunachal depends on Central
government for 90 percent of its budget requirement. All efforts are on to enhance our internal
revenue by harnessing our own state resources. Hydropower can be the main revenue earning
source of the state," the Dy CM said.
Mein, who is the Minister-in-charge Power and Hydropower Development, on Monday virtually
held a meeting with VK Singh, Chief Managing Director, North Eastern Electric Power
Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) regarding the joint venture agreement between NEEPCO and
Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Limited (HPDCAPL) for 3750
MW Upper Siang, 330 MW Kurung dam and 90 MW New Meling hydro-electric projects
(HEPs) in the state.
He said with the constant support from the Centre, the Arunachal Pradesh government is
planning to develop big as well as small HEPs, adding, efforts are also on to revamp the
development of Dibang multi-purpose project and Lower Demwe project.
Mentioning that the previous Governments had allotted 168 projects to private power
developers and PSUs, aggregating to nearly 46,000 MW, Mein informed due to failure
to take off the projects by some of the power developers, government terminated many
such projects.
He said that the state has started allocating such terminated projects to CPSUs and two
projects namely, 120 MW Nafra and 90 MW New Meling HEPs have already been decided
to be allotted to NEEPCO.
Mein urged the CMD of NEEPCO to start the work on Kameng basin projects namely
Nafra and New Meling HEPs as early as possible. He also requested to sort out the
impediment in the implementation of the 330 MW Kurung HEP by sitting across the table.
The MOA for the project was signed in 2015.
While Advisor to Power Minister, Balo Raja has assured CMD of NEEPCO to look into
the security of the officials and any kind of local issues in connection with the
implementation of the Kurung project and sought for early commencement of the project.
The meeting also discussed about the 1800 MW Kamala HEP in Kamle district being
implemented by M/s Jindal Power Limited. This project started in 2012.
In the meeting, Toko Onuj, Chairman -cum -Managing Director, HPDCAPL has been
asked to act as nodal officer for liaisoning with M/s Jindal Power Ltd, M/s SJVN and
NEEPCO on Kamala, Kurung, New Meling and Etalin HEPs for acquisition and merger,
equity participation, etc.
Among others, Commissioner (Power), Prashant Lokhande also attended the meeting.
UNI DS BM