India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly denounced China’s repeated attempts to rename locations within Arunachal Pradesh.

 In an official statement, the MEA said, “We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”

 This response follows China’s continued issuance of so-called “standardised” names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as “South Tibet,” a claim India firmly rejects.

 Earlier in 2024, responding to media queries regarding China’s attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu responded in a tweet saying this is another trick from China.

 He stated, “Another gimmick from China. Being a proud citizen of Bharat and a native of Arunachal Pradesh, I strongly condemn this act of naming places within Arunachal Pradesh which has been an integral part of India…”

 On the other hand, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated India’s staunch rejection of such actions.

“China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. We firmly reject such attempts. Assigning invented names will not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India,” Jaiswal stated.

  Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu made history on Tuesday by holding a cabinet meeting at Kibithu, the last outpost along the Indo-China border in Anjaw district.

 An official statement said the government took the ‘Cabinet Aapke Dwar’ concept a step further by holding it in a remote area. Several key decisions were taken to accelerate the state’s development, it added.

 The cabinet approved the formation of a Joint Venture Company, ‘M/s NEEPCO Arunachal Hydro Power Corporation Limited’, between the state government and NEEPCO to implement five hydropower projects – Tato I, Heo, Tato II, Naying, and Hirong – in the Shi-Yomi district. Together, they will generate 2,626 MW electricity.

 Tato I and Heo have already received the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and are likely to begin construction soon.

“The approval for the formation of the Joint Venture Company marks a significant step forward in the commissioning of 13 large hydropower projects, which the state government rejuvenated by signing MoAs with Central PSUs in 2023,” the statement further stated.

 Acknowledging the significance of hydropower in the state’s economic growth, the cabinet approved modifications in the State Hydro Power Policy, 2008, and Local Area Development Fund Guidelines, 2022, allowing power producers, including PSUs, on behalf of the state government to contribute 1% free power to Local Area Development Funds set up for the welfare of project-affected areas.

 These modifications will enable higher and timely contributions to the Local Area Development Fund, enhancing the welfare of project-affected families at no additional cost to the state exchequer.

The cabinet also approved the restoration of the 144 MW Gongri hydropower project to M/s Dirang Energy Private Limited under the Arunachal Pradesh Restoration of Terminated Large Hydropower Policy. With this approval, Gongri will become the first such project to be restored.

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