Photo Courtesy: nenews
Itanagar: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan declared Arunachal Pradesh a vital protector of India’s borders during a visit to Itanagar on Wednesday. He spoke before a special session of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The Vice President linked the state's success directly to the economic future of the entire country. He described the region as a “proud guardian” of India’s borders.
The federal government continues to pour money into the Northeast. This year's Union Budget includes over Rs 6,800 crore specifically for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee created this ministry to focus on the area. Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi now uses his Act East policy to treat the eight northeastern states as the Ashta-lakshmi, or eight forms of wealth.
Infrastructure is moving fast. New roads appear at a rate of 1,800 km every year. Farmers are seeing gains too. The state now leads the nation in kiwi production. Officials have already handed out more than one lakh soil health cards to local growers. Per capita income in the state has more than doubled.
Environmental health remains a top priority. Forests cover nearly 79 per cent of the state land. These vast natural resources help India fight climate change. Radhakrishnan says this biodiversity remains central to the country's overall safety and progress.
Updated at 9th September 2026 at 10:01pm
Chief Minister Pema Khandu provided a breakdown of the state's economic transformation during the same assembly session. He reported that the Gross State Domestic Product surged by 149 percent, jumping from roughly Rs 20,373 crore in 2016 to over Rs 50,651 crore. The state budget saw a 238 percent increase over that period, while the state's own internal revenue generation grew more than five and a half times.
Infrastructure expansion reaches far beyond just road building. The rural road network expanded from 4,131 km to nearly 14,000 km, and the national highway network climbed from 1,043 km to 2,538 km. Another 4,060 km of roads are in the works. Khandu cited the Trans-Arunachal Highway, Sela Tunnel, Donyi Polo Airport, and the Frontier Highway as key projects driving this shift. He also pointed to 21 products from the state receiving Geographical Indication tags to protect local craftsmanship and traditional knowledge.
Khandu emphasized a vision of Vikas, Sewa and Virasat, aimed at balancing economic progress with the preservation of indigenous heritage. The government is also pushing to get more young people into sports, entrepreneurship, and innovation to drive future development.
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