Centre, Arunachal Ink Special Package To Prepare Siang For 11,000 MW Power Project To Curb Flood Risks From China

The Centre and Arunachal Pradesh government on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a special development package aimed at readying the Siang region for the ambitious Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (USMP), the Hindustan Times reported.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu earlier noted that the USMP, with an estimated installed capacity of 11,000 MW, was designed not only for power generation but also to maintain the natural flow of the Siang (Brahmaputra) river.

He added that the project aimed to help mitigate potential flood risks arising from water releases by China.

Officials described the special development package as a strategic pre-investment step to equip local communities and infrastructure for the mega hydroelectric and water-storage scheme planned in the Brahmaputra basin.

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The package targets both economic and social needs in the Siang and Upper Siang districts. It will support animal husbandry, piggery, fisheries, poultry, horticulture, handloom, bamboo, eco-tourism, and beekeeping, alongside the creation of new facilities and upgrades to existing ones.

Marketing and branding of indigenous products, including textiles, bamboo goods, and traditional crafts, form another pillar, helping artisans access larger markets.

Planned infrastructure includes common facility centres, craft resource hubs, urban haats, emporia, and raw-material depots.

The MoU was signed in Itanagar in the presence of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, Planning Commissioner Ankur Garg, Union Jal Shakti Secretary V L Kantha Rao, Union Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, and senior officials from the Jal Shakti Ministry.

Authorities said the measures will “strengthen the socio-economic fabric” of the frontier region and ensure residents are prepared to benefit from opportunities arising from the USMP.

By integrating livelihood generation with infrastructure building, the package aims to smooth the transition for communities as work on the massive hydropower and water-management project advances.

In a special meeting held in June, the state Cabinet cleared a decade-long hydropower development roadmap and stressed the need to build consensus on the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (USMP).

The project, first declared a national initiative in 2008, is being revived in response to China’s proposal to construct a 60,000 MW dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the upper course of the Brahmaputra.

The USMP, once implemented, is expected to generate clean energy, moderate floods, and enhance water security for the northeast.

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