Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday called for the inclusion of indigenous communities in the planning and execution of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), stressing the need for local consensus to ensure the project’s success.

Chairing a high-level review meeting at the civil secretariat in Itanagar, Khandu directed officials to engage with local stakeholders and incorporate their feedback at every stage of the project.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and senior officials of the hydropower development department.