Central team reviews small hydro projects in Arunachal

Itanagar, Apr 16 (UNI) A central team, led by Dr N P Singh, Advisor, and Dr Parveen Saxena, Director of the Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy, arrived here today on a two-day visit to review the planning and implementation of small hydro power projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

Official sources said the visit of the central team was a follow-up initiative by the Ministry to implement various small hydro power projects with capacities ranging from 10 KW to 200 KW, under the Rs 550 crore border village illumination project (through micro hydel and solar photovoltaic systems) announced by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during his maiden visit to the state early this year.

The team had in-depth discussions with state power secretary T Norbu, besides chief engineers, superintendent engineers of both power and hydro power development departments and other officials of the departments in the district level.

The officials presented the details of project sites, village profiles and steps to be taken for setting up of micro hydel plants and village electrification, the sources said.

Dr Singh appreciated the efforts made by the district and state officials by visiting various villages and project sites and presenting their proposals in a time bound manner.

The Advisor stressed on the involvement of local youths and community in planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of small hydro plants for village illumination, which would ensure early and proper implementation of the projects, sources informed.

Dr Singh also suggested to develop economic activities such as flour mills, agro-processing, small and village level industries around the project sites which would ensure socio-economic development besides generating employment for the local youths, sources added.

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