Manmohan to visit Arunachal on Jan 31

Itanagar, Jan 30: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive here tomorrow on his two-day maiden visit to Arunachal Pradesh to lay the foundation stone of a 3,000 MW multipurpose Dibang power project.

Official sources said here today that the project, to be executed by National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC), will be the largest in the country. NHPC Chief Managing Director S K Garg and senior officials, including Power secretary Anil Razdan, would be present on the occasion. The Prime Minister would also lay the foundation stones of Pare power project, the new civil secretariat building, Itanagar water supply project and railway head between Harmutty in Asom's Lakhimpur district and the state capital here.

Dr Singh would also inaugurate the Naharlagun-Nirjuli water supply project (phase II), the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan and unveil the statue of Indira Gandhi at I G Park here, sources said.

He would also visit R K Mission Hospital and address a public meeting in the evening tomorrow before flying to Kibitho under Anjaw district and Lohitpur in Lohitr district on February one, where he would interact with the officers and jawans on the border, sources added.

Any Prime Minister would be visiting the state after a gap of eight years and Dr Singh had cancelled his visit twice last year.

Cultural troupes from various districts have already arrived to participate in the programme being held in the honour of the Prime Minister, sources informed.

Meanwhile, the state police have beefed up the security arrangements in this regard.

UNI