Itanagar

Arunachal Pradesh has undergone significant transformation in the past decade, with improved connectivity and investments in key sectors driving development across the state, Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik said on Wednesday.

Addressing a special session of the assembly in the presence of Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Parnaik said the state had received focused attention and substantial investments since 2014 in various sectors, including roads, railways, air connectivity, healthcare, education, tourism, digital infrastructure and border-area development.

He said connectivity had emerged as the backbone of the state’s transformation, with the operationalisation of Donyi Polo Airport, expansion of the national highway network, strategic border roads, railway links and digital infrastructure improving accessibility and creating new economic opportunities.

Parnaik also highlighted governance reforms, saying doorstep delivery of services, such as 'Sarkar Aapke Dwar' and 'Seva Aapke Dwar', have been taken to people, particularly in remote and far-flung areas.

"These initiatives have strengthened public trust, improved service delivery and reinforced the principle that governance must reach the last citizen in the last village,” he said.

The governor said women and youths were playing an increasingly important role in the state’s socio-economic development.

Women were emerging as entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare workers and elected representatives, while young entrepreneurs were creating enterprises in agriculture, horticulture, tourism, handloom, handicrafts, food processing, digital services and creative industries, he said.

Parnaik said the state, with an estimated hydropower potential of nearly 58,000 MW, could play a major role in India’s clean energy future.

He said the declaration of 2025-2035 as the “Decade of Hydropower” reflected the state’s commitment to harnessing its potential while balancing economic growth, environmental protection and community participation.

Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh's strategic importance, the governor said the state was a "vital guardian" of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as the country’s eastern frontier.

“Border villages are more than settlements at the edge of the map. They are the first line of national presence and pride,” he said.

Parnaik praised the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme, saying improved infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, skill development and essential services were strengthening border communities.

“A developed border is a secure border, and a secure border is indispensable for a strong and self-reliant India,” he said.

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Arunachal’s vision was to become a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, self-reliant and secure state, with development going hand in hand with ecological preservation and protection of its rich cultural heritage, he added.