Arunachal CM eyes Rs 2 lakh crore hydropower boom for economic surge
Speaking at Statehood Day events in IG Park, Khandu unveiled 2025-2035 as the 'Decade of Hydropower'. He stressed its pivotal role, noting, “Currently, 1.2 GW of projects is operational, and 4.8 GW is under construction. The 2,000-MW Subansiri Lower Project is slated for completion by this year, while the 2,880-MW Dibang Project is targeted for 2032.”
- Feb 20, 2026,
- Updated Feb 20, 2026, 1:53 PM IST
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu declared hydropower the linchpin of the state's economic future, spotlighting projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore ready to launch soon.
Speaking at Statehood Day events in IG Park, Khandu unveiled 2025-2035 as the 'Decade of Hydropower'. He stressed its pivotal role, noting, “Currently, 1.2 GW of projects is operational, and 4.8 GW is under construction. The 2,000-MW Subansiri Lower Project is slated for completion by this year, while the 2,880-MW Dibang Project is targeted for 2032.”
These initiatives promise Rs 4,000 crore in yearly revenue and over 30,000 direct jobs plus 16,000 indirect ones, he added.
Khandu highlighted the state's mineral wealth in coal and graphite, with mining blocks already auctioned and more surveys in progress. Arunachal has shifted from frontier outpost to rapid-growth hub, he said. “Since 2015, the Gross State Domestic Product has grown by 166 per cent... and per capita income by over 105 per cent. The state budget has increased by 218 per cent during the period.”
Connectivity forms development's bedrock, with road networks up 251 per cent, 4,060 km of national highways building, and Rs 55,000 crore pledged for frontier highways.
Healthcare gets a Rs 3,666 crore boost, while education reforms via ‘Mission Shikshit Arunachal 2029’ pour in Rs 750 crore for school upgrades, hostels, AI monitoring, and India's first 3D-printed classrooms.