Arunachal, Dec 17: India has ramped up its infrastructure development projects in Arunachal Pradesh under the governance of Chief Minister Pema Khandu. From speeding up work on new tunnels promising all-weather connectivity to build new roads and bridges in the small state of India.
As part of the plan, around 20 bridges, a number of tunnels, airbases, and several key roads are being developed in strategically key areas.
The central push has immensely benefitted the border state though the objective is to counter an aggressive China. With 210.5 km of roads available to every 1,000 vehicles, Arunachal Pradesh boasts the highest ratio of road length to vehicles among all states in India. The state has also promised to improve sources of drinking water for every household.
At Rs 3.43 crore, the state ranks second among the small states in India in terms of allocation of funds per 100,000 people under AMRUTH.
In terms of governance, the Arunachal government has been pushing hard for the growth of digital infrastructure. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu has launched the centrally-funded statewide area network (SWAN), which will provide secure digital connectivity to all the district headquarters and local administrative centres across the state. The Arunachal SWAN (ArSWAN) aims to establish 184 SWAN points of presence in the state.
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The state cabinet meetings have also gone paperless with the launch of the e-Cabinet portal recently.
In March 2020, the state assembly joined the list of India’s paperless assemblies with the implementation of e-Vidhan, a project under the Digital India programme.
The state’s economy is largely agrarian, based on the terraced farming of rice and the cultivation of crops such as maize, millet, wheat, pulses, sugarcane, ginger, oilseeds, cereals, potato, and pineapple. The state has considerable mineral reserves that offer huge potential. The state’s hydropower generation potential is estimated at 50,328 Megawatt (MW).
At current prices, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Arunachal Pradesh reached Rs. 299.74 lakh crore (US$ 4.13 billion) in 2020-21. The state’s GSDP increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1% between 2015-16 and 2020-21.
The resources, policy incentives, and climate in the state support investments in mining and mineral products (including cement), tissue culture and floriculture, plantation crops (tea, rubber, etc.), and agro-based industries.
The state’s location provides opportunities for international trade with Asian countries such as Myanmar, Bhutan, and China. Textiles and handicrafts from the state are in demand in neighbouring countries.
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The Central Government approved North East Industrial Development Scheme 2017 to promote industrialization in the states in the northeast region and to improve productivity in Government departments through computerization.
According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), FDI inflows to the northeast states totalled the US $142 million between April 2000 and March 2021. The state attracted an FDI inflow worth US$ 5.55 million between October 2019 and March 2021.
The Department of Industries has set up District Industries Centre’s (DICs) and Sub-District Industries Centre’s (Sub-DICs) for the industrial development of the small scale, tiny, and village industries.
Arunachal Pradesh is the highest carbon sink state in the country providing clean oxygen to all with 82% area covered with forest. It also plays a major role in challenging the global warming impact.
