Newly appointed Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has looked outside of the country for inspiration on how to improve the affairs of his state. Pul said Arunachal Pradesh can replicate the Bhutan model of tapping hydropower resources and other development works as both the regions have similar cultural and geographical landscapes, reported the Northeast Today.

“If Bhutan could develop its hydropower resources keeping its ecological damages at bare minimum with adequate compensation and rehabilitation to affected people, such a model could be easily adopted by us,” Pul told visiting Bhutanese officials, according to IANS.

A delegation of 35 Bhutanese officials is on a week-long visit to the North-Eastern states to strengthen relations and explore possibilities of border trade and cultural exchanges. Pul said strong trade and commercial ties between the two regions could be developed by establishing border trade centres between them. He added that his state could also learn from Bhutan's success at tourism promotion. He also suggested setting up language schools along the international borders to facilitate cultural exchange between neighbouring nations.