Arunachal: ‘Without Mother Tongue and Culture, Development Remains Incomplete’- CM Pema Khandu
At the Solung Festival in Roing, Arunachal CM Pema Khandu announces hydropower projects worth 18,000 MW, aiming ₹10,000 Cr annual revenue by 2047.
ROING (Lower Dibang Valley): Chief Minister Pema Khandu today joined the Adi community in celebrating the annual Solung Festival, where he underlined the importance of preserving indigenous languages and traditions while pursuing development.
Khandu praised the Adis, one of Arunachal Pradesh’s largest tribes, for keeping alive their cultural heritage through traditional rituals and festivities. “In the race to development, if we forget our roots, our culture and our language, we will never be truly developed,” he said.
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The CM urged parents and elders to converse with children in their mother tongue to ensure cultural continuity. “Cultural erosion begins when one generation forgets its language. As a Monpa I must own my culture, and as an Adi you must own yours. No one else will preserve it for us,” he emphasized.
Highlighting government support, Khandu noted the creation of a Department of Indigenous Affairs to assist tribes in safeguarding their traditions.
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On development, Khandu said Roing had transformed dramatically since his 2011 visit, recalling how he once had to cross rivers by ferry. “Today it’s a smooth five-hour drive. And in the coming years, with the 2880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project, the region will reach a new stage of growth,” he added.
The CM assured that Dibang and other hydropower projects—worth nearly 18,000 MW—would bring prosperity to the state. Once complete, they are expected to generate ₹10,000 crore annually, enabling Arunachal Pradesh to invest in stronger welfare schemes and become truly Viksit (developed) by 2047.
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During his visit, Khandu also laid foundations for multiple infrastructure projects, including hostels, staff quarters, township road improvements, and an electrical sub-division at Dambuk. He inspected the Sissiri River bridge construction on the Bomjir–Paglam road, which will provide all-weather connectivity to several villages, and reviewed progress at the Dibang HEP site with NHPC officials.
The CM was accompanied by Minister Dasanglu Pul, MLAs Punnyo Apum, Mutchu Mithi, Oni Panyang, Bolin Chetia (Assam), BJP State President Kaling Moyong, and others.
The Solung celebration at Roing saw a blend of cultural vibrancy and political vision, reflecting Arunachal’s efforts to balance heritage preservation with developmental ambitions.
