ITANAGAR, 9 Feb: The home affairs ministry recently approved 187 projects for 156 villages in Arunachal Pradesh under the Centre’s ambitious vibrant villages programme (VVP), with an estimated cost of Rs 104.99 crore, the assembly was informed on Friday.
Participating in the motion of thanks to the 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 lakhs).
In addition, 105 roads covering a total of 1,022 kms and connecting 125 habitations, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,205 crore have also been sanctioned under the 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 and veterinary camps, football and volleyball tournaments, distribution of water campers, solar lights and sports items,” the deputy chief minister said.
The VVP was announced in the 2022-2023 union budgets and launched in April last year by union Home Minister Amit Shah at Kibithoo village in Anjaw district.
Mein added that “as many as 1,451 villages in 11 districts of the state having Indo-Tibet international border have been mapped under the programme.”
Extension of the VVP to Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bhutan is also under consideration, the DCM said, adding that 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. (PTI)
