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Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh found itself navigating a series of challenges in 2025, ranging from a diplomatic row involving an Arunachalee woman's harassment at Shanghai airport and protests over a power project to natural disasters, underscoring the resilience of the country's easternmost frontier state. The year also witnessed the NDA's dominance in the political sphere with the BJP winning a majority of zilla parishad and gram panchayat constituencies and emerging victorious in civic elections. The BJP bagged 170 out of 245 zilla parishad member (ZPM) seats, including 59 uncontested ones, establishing its clear dominance at the district level. The party won 14 of the 20 wards in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation elections, while it got two wards, and its partner Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA) secured five in the Pasighat Municipal Council. The opposition Congress failed to open its account in both civic bodies. The year's most-talked-about episode was the ordeal of Pema Wangjom Thongdo
Patel Engineering on Thursday announced signing an initial pact with Arunachal Pradesh government for restoration and development of the 144 MW Gongri Hydropower Project in the state. This initiative marks a significant milestone in advancing clean energy infrastructure in India's Northeast, a company statement said. The Gongri project, located near Dirang town on the Gongri river was terminated but has now been revived under the framework 'Arunachal Pradesh Restoration of Terminated Large Hydropower Policy under Special Circumstances, 2025.' The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet recently approved the restoration of this project, making it the first project to be revived under this framework. The total project value is estimated at Rs 1,700 crore and would take around 4 years for completion. Hydro power projects like Gongri will not only generate clean energy but also create employment opportunities, improve local infrastructure, and contribute to sustainable development in the region. U
The multi-agency search and rescue operation in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, where a mini-truck on which 21 people from Assam were travelling plunged into a deep gorge, has been officially called off by the district administration on Monday. Till Sunday, 20 bodies were recovered and one survivor rescued following four days of intensive efforts by disaster response teams, Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin said. The DC in an official order said that the search and rescue operation, which began on December 11, was formally concluded at 10 am on Monday after exhaustive combing of the accident site near Lailiang, about 40 km from Hayuliang sub-division. Though earlier it was estimated that 22 labourers were in the ill-fated vehicle, but a communication from the senior superintendent of police of Assam's Tinsukia district on Sunday confirmed that there were only 21 people in the mini truck, including the driver, the DC said. The accident occurred on the night of December 8 al
At least 18 people from Assam's Tinsukia district have been killed and three others are missing as the truck they were travelling in fell into a remote gorge in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Thursday. The incident took place on Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Anjaw district in the eastern part of the hill state on December 8 when a truck was carrying 22 labourers from Tinsukia district, Defence PRO Lt Col Mahender Rawat said, citing the lone survivor's version. The accident site, approximately 12 km from Chaglagam, lies in difficult terrain with limited connectivity and had not been reported by any local agency, contractor or civil representative until the survivor's arrival, Rawat said in a statement. "Eighteen bodies have been sighted and are being retrieved using belay ropes. ADC of Hayuliang has informed SP of Anjaw, who has reached the site, while the District Medical Officer is moving to facilitate evacuation of casualties and mortal remains," he said. Rawat s
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday inaugurated several key infrastructure projects in West Kameng district, including a sub-divisional secretariat, a major bridge, and upgraded educational facilities. He also inaugurated the Jambey Tashi Memorial Peace Park at Chug Valley in memory of his late brother and former MLA Jambey Tashi. In a post on X, Khandu said the peace park stands as a symbol of his brother's legacy of harmony and service. "May this serene peace park situated at Chug Valley, Dirang, stand as a symbol of harmony, compassion, and selfless service, reflecting the noble path he walked in life," the chief minister said, expressing gratitude to all who joined in prayers on the occasion. The consecration prayers were led by Padma Shri awardee Guru Tulku Rinpoche. During his official visit to Dirang in the district, Khandu inaugurated the newly constructed sub-divisional secretariat at Hing Thangkha in the presence of Home Minister Mama Natung and severa
Rainfall will gradually reduce across Arunachal Pradesh from Sunday, the IMD said. Rain, along with thunderstorms, is likely in East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Lohit, Namsai, Upper Siang, Siang and West Siang on Sunday, it said. On Monday, rainfall intensity is expected to weaken, confined mostly to parts of the foothills and eastern belt, where brief afternoon or evening showers may occur, it added. From Tuesday onward, a clearer shift towards stability with dry to isolated rain conditions likely across most parts of the state, the IMD said.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was on Friday extended for six months in entire Manipur, except the jurisdiction of 13 police stations, in view of the prevailing law and order situation there. The AFSPA, under which a particular state or some areas are declared "disturbed", has also been extended to nine districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state for six months, according to a notification issued by the Union home ministry. The law was also extended to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and three police station areas, bordering Assam, in Namsai district in the state. The extension of the disturbed area in the particular areas in the three states will be effective from October 1 for six months. The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary. "And whereas, a further review of the law and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday alleged that the Congress has an "inherent habit" of abandoning any development work that is difficult, and this caused significant harm to the Northeast. Addressing a rally at the Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar after unveiling development projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore, Modi said he knew that the Northeast couldn't be developed from Delhi, and so, he sent ministers and officers more frequently to the region, and he himself came here more than 70 times. "One inherent habit of Congress is that they never take up development work which is difficult to do; they abandon it. This habit of Congress caused significant harm to Arunachal Pradesh and the entire Northeast. In the hilly and forested areas, where development work was challenging, Congress would declare the regions backward and simply forget them," he claimed. The PM said that with the launch of GST reforms on the first day of Navratri, people will receive a "double bonanza" this festive
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,125.37 crore in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. From a function at the Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, he virtually laid the foundation stones for two major hydropower projects in Shi Yomi district, and a convention centre in Tawang. The Tato-I project, with a capacity of 186 mw, will be developed jointly by the Arunachal Pradesh government and the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) at Rs 1,750 crore. It is expected to generate around 802 million units of electricity annually. The 240-mw Heo project will also be developed by the state government and NEEPCO at Rs 1,939 crore. It is expected to produce 1,000 million units of electricity each year. These projects, to be developed on the Yarjep river, are part of a larger effort to expand Arunachal Pradesh's hydroelectric capacity, contributing significantly to regional energy security, officials said. Modi also laid the foundation stone for a
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, during which he will unveil infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 5,000 crore. The PM is scheduled to arrive at the Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi around 9 am, after which he will fly to the Raj Bhavan in Itanagar on a helicopter, officials said. He will then travel to Indira Gandhi Park, where he will unveil the development projects and address a rally. Modi will lay the foundation stones for the Tato-I and Heo hydropower projects, both of which will be developed on the Yarjep River in the Shi Yomi district. The Tato-I project, with a capacity of 186 mw, will be developed jointly by the Arunachal Pradesh government and the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) at Rs 1,750 crore. It is expected to generate around 802 million units of electricity annually. The 240-mw Heo project will also be developed by the state government and NEEPCO at Rs 1,939 crore. It is expected to produce 1,000 milli