Itanagar, March 11 (IANS). Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chovana Mein on Tuesday said the state has the country’s largest hydropower potential, estimated at about 58,000 MW, and the government aims to harness this resource for green energy generation and accelerate economic transformation.
Presenting the state budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly, Mein, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the government has declared 2025-2035 as the Decade of Hydro Power to ensure focused development of the sector.
Meanwhile, the state aims to commission 19 GW hydropower capacity, which will bring in investment of about Rs 1.9 lakh crore, generate employment and strengthen the economy.
He said that in 2023, the government with the support of the Center will restart 13 mega and large hydroelectric projects which were stalled for years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone of HEO and TATO-I hydropower projects during his visit to Itanagar, further strengthening the energy roadmap of the state.
Meen said that the total receipt for 2026-27 is estimated to be Rs 36,607 crore, which includes revenue of Rs 30,733 crore and capital of Rs 5,873 crore.
The fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 701 crore, which is about 1.7 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is within the limits prescribed under the Fiscal Responsibility Framework.
Emphasizing on economic growth, Mein said that in the last decade, Arunachal Pradesh’s GSDP has grown by nearly 135 per cent, while the state budget has grown by more than 226 per cent and per capita income has more than doubled.
The state’s own resources have increased by more than 460 percent, which shows strong fiscal capacity. According to the information of the Union Finance Minister, the estimate of GSDP at current prices is Rs 41,314 crore.
–IANS
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