CM Dhami meets Sitharaman, seeks Rs 1174 Cr assistance for Song dam project
TUESDAY, 04 JULY 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Monday. In the meeting, the CM requested that the union government should remove the ceiling on the loans for the externally assisted projects in view of the special conditions and limited financial resources of the State. He also requested that the government of India should provide a sum of Rs 1174 crore for the Song dam drinking water project in the State as special assistance.
Dhami said that the population of Dehradun is increasing rapidly due to which the demand for drinking water is also consistently increasing. In view of this and considering future needs a project is proposed on Song river which is a tributary of Ganga. He said that the estimated cost of the project is Rs 2021 crores. The project envisages providing 150 MLD drinking water by use of gravity to Dehradun and its peri urban areas. A population of about 10 lakh would get drinking water from the project. Dhami said that the project once completed would end the dependence on tube-wells for providing drinking water. A 3.5 km long lake would also get formed due to the Song dam which apart from providing impetus to tourism and creating new employment opportunities would help in preserving the environment. The CM told the union finance minister that flood control is another objective of the project. The project would provide protection to a population of 15000 in 10 villages from the floods which affect them every year.
He said that all the necessary technical, forest land transfer and other approvals from the departments and the ministries concerned have been obtained. The State government would bear the cost of displacement and rehabilitation of the affected families for which an amount of Rs 247 Crore has been earmarked.
Dhami requested that the union government should provide assistance of Rs 1174 crore for the Song Dam project.
The CM also requested that the economic works department of the finance ministry should approve the proposal for strengthening of the power transmission system which involves construction of the power sub stations and lines in Dehradun under the ADB funded scheme. The project also involves making the HT and LT power lines in Dehradun city underground. On this request, Sitharaman said that the State government should send a proposal for revaluation of the project. She also assured every possible help to the State.
