OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday approved the constitution of an empowered high-level committee to guide and coordinate the pre-feasibility report (PFR) survey and related activities for the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Siang and Upper Siang districts.
The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, seeks to ensure that the survey is conducted in a transparent, peaceful and people-centric manner, with the government stressing the need for sustained engagement with local communities and likely project affected families (PAFs), a CMO statement said.
The Cabinet observed that SUMP was declared a National Project by the Centre in 2008, highlighting its strategic importance to Arunachal Pradesh and the country.
It said the project has the potential to strengthen water and energy security, help moderate floods in the Siang-Brahmaputra basin, create employment and contribute to the long-term socio-economic development of the Siang region.
The empowered committee will be headed by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing. Advisor to the Chief Minister and Tuting-Yingkiong MLA Alo Libang and Geku-Mariyang MLA Oni Panyang will be its members.
The Cabinet also took note of concerns expressed by sections of people in Siang and Upper Siang over what it described as misinformation and disinformation being spread by certain vested interests.
It, however, emphasised that peaceful conduct of the PFR survey would depend on meaningful and continuous engagement with residents of the two districts.
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