The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently approved 187 projects for 156 villages in Arunachal Pradesh under the Centre’s ambitious Vibrant Village Programme (VVP), with an estimated cost of Rs 104.99 crore, the assembly was informed on Friday.
Participating in the motion of thanks to Governor’s Address, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said that the total approved projects include 67 for tourism (Rs 30.60 crore), 114 for village infrastructure (Rs 74.15 crore) and six for eco-regeneration (Rs 24 lakh).
In addition, 105 roads covering a total of 1,022 km and connecting 125 habitations, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,205 crore have also been sanctioned under VVP.
This will be implemented by the Rural Works Department (RWD), Mein said.
Some of the activities include celebration of Republic and Statehood Day in a befitting manner, celebration of local festivals, cultural programmes and weapon display by the armed forces, medical & veterinary camps, football &volleyball tournaments, distribution of water campers, solar lights & sports items, the deputy chief minister said.
The Vibrant Villages Programme was announced in the Union Budget 2022-2023 and launched on April last year by union Home Minister Amit Shah at Kibithoo village in Anjaw district of the state, bordering China.
Mein added that as many as 1451 villages in 11 districts of the state having Indo-Tibet international border have been mapped under the programme.
Extension of Vibrant Village Programme to Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bhutan is also under consideration, the deputy chief minister said adding it would be pursued by the next government.
Mein who is also the state’s power minister informed the House that the state now has a capacity of generating 1200 MW power from various commissioned projects.