Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated five major infrastructure projects under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) during a review meeting in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
The projects include the Pasighat-Ledum-Tene Road, flood protection work at Upper Deobil, a general hospital in Khonsa, Cluster MIPs at Gensi, and a district hospital in Changlang.
The meeting, attended by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, and senior state officials, focused on reviewing the performance of seven Regional Rural Banks across the Northeast region, covering Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
Sitharaman reaffirmed the central government’s commitment to the development of the Northeast, pledging sustained financial and administrative backing for future projects.
Chief Minister Khandu expressed gratitude for the central government’s support, acknowledging the unique infrastructure challenges faced by Arunachal Pradesh but praising the significant progress achieved with its assistance.
Khandu highlighted Arunachal’s vast hydropower potential, asserting that the state could greatly contribute to the national economy through this resource.
He called for upgrading outdated infrastructure, particularly transitioning from traditional SPT structures to modern RCC ones.
The Chief Minister also urged for an improvement in the state’s low Credit-Deposit (CD) ratio and requested expanded banking services, especially in western Arunachal, commending the establishment of an SBI Regional Business Office in the state.