Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on 15 August 2025 declared that the state's border villages are fast emerging as centres of tourism, livelihood, and local enterprise, crediting the Vibrant Village Programme for unlocking new opportunities in frontier communities. Hoisting the Tricolour at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, Khandu outlined a sweeping development agenda spanning hydropower, education, women's empowerment, and disaster relief.

Vibrant Village Programme: Scale and Reach

Under Phase-I of the Vibrant Village Programme, projects worth approximately ₹2,800 crore are being implemented across 455 villages along the India-Tibet (China) border. The programme is improving infrastructure, strengthening local livelihoods, and showcasing the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of these remote communities.

In Phase-II, an additional 122 villages along the India-Myanmar and India-Bhutan borders have been brought under the scheme. Khandu said the initiatives are designed to create sustainable livelihood opportunities while reinforcing connectivity in areas that have historically been difficult to reach.

Hydropower Ambitions: The Decade of 19 GW

Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh's considerable hydropower potential, Khandu said the state has a unique role in India's clean energy transition. “Guided by this vision, we declared 2025-2035 as the Decade of Hydropower, with a target of commissioning nearly 19 GW of hydropower capacity, supported by investments of approximately ₹1.9 lakh crore,” he said.

The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project — described as India's largest hydropower project — has already operationalised four of its eight generating units, producing 1,000 MW of clean energy. The remaining four units are expected to become operational this year. The Union Government has separately approved investments of about ₹40,175 crore for the 1,720 MW Kamala Hydro Electric Project and the 1,200 MW Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project. Work is also progressing on the Tato-I, Tato-II, and Heo hydroelectric projects.

Education and Women's Empowerment

On the education front, ₹3,112.50 crore has been invested in Phase-I of Mission Shikshit Arunachal to overhaul infrastructure, governance, teaching quality, digital education, and institutional capacity. An additional ₹500 crore has been committed to upgrade 50 government schools into Golden Jubilee Schools. These investments have already contributed to a 13.33% increase in enrolment in government schools, Khandu said.

On women's empowerment, the Chief Minister noted that more than 1.5 lakh women are now organised into over 16,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs), with thousands becoming entrepreneurs, community leaders, and agents of change.

Flood Relief and Federal Support

Khandu expressed solidarity with families affected by recent floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring Assam and Nagaland. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for approving the advance release of ₹44.55 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund, saying the assistance had strengthened relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas. An Inter-Ministerial Central Team also visited the state to assess damage.

Khandu recalled Prime Minister Modi's visit to Itanagar on 22 September 2025, during which the Prime Minister dedicated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹5,100 crore, including the 186 MW Tato-I and 240 MW Heo hydroelectric projects involving cumulative investments of over ₹3,700 crore.

Sustainable Development and Buddhist Heritage

Emphasising environmentally responsible growth, Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh — as custodian of some of India's richest forests, rivers, and mountain ecosystems — has a responsibility to pursue climate-resilient development. He also highlighted efforts to promote the state's Buddhist heritage, following the Union Budget announcement on developing Buddhist circuits in the Northeast. With hydropower targets, border tourism, and education reforms all in motion, the state's next milestones will test whether frontier ambition translates into lasting ground-level change.