Tuesday, 23 August 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Participates in Central Zonal Council meeting in Bhopal; pitches for central assistance in lieu of ecosystem services & large floating population
The chief minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that instead of ‘one scheme fit for all’ policy, the government of India should focus on tailor made schemes for the state. He opined that Uttarakhand would benefit from the central schemes for tourism, horticulture and aromatic plants.
Dhami took part in the 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Bhopal Madhya Pradesh on Monday. The meeting was chaired by the Union home minister Amit Shah.
The Uttarakhand CM said that a special campaign should be launched for rejuvenation of natural sources of water in the mountainous areas. He stressed that importance to the ecosystem services rendered should be given while allocating the assets among the States. Dhami said that the Union government should consider the aspect of floating population while allotting the financial resources to the State.
He also requested the central government’s assistance in setting up a powerful weather forecasting system and a system equipped by Doppler radar in the State. He requested that the next meeting of the council should be held in Uttarakhand.
Suggesting scientific linking of the seasonal streams with the glacier fed perennial rivers, Dhami said that it would benefit the entire country. He said that the prestigious Indian Forest Management Institute, Bhopal has calculated the annual value of the ecosystem services rendered by Uttarakhand at Rs 95,000 crores. He said that Uttarakhand is conserving its forests, Bugyals and glaciers and this factor should be considered while distributing assets amongst the states. Dhami said that an estimated six crore floating population visits Uttarakhand every year which means that the State has to provide infrastructural facilities to about 7.25 crore people in a year.
Dhami said that the border areas of the State are needed to be concerned with roads, rail and air services and the All Weather road should be extended to the border areas. He pitched for the Tanakpur- Bageshwar rail link and demanded that the State should be given a rebate of more than 50 per cent in rail projects in view of its limited resources. Dhami said that a new airport in Chaukhutia, located at the centre of Garhwal and Kumaon and near the summer capital of the State, should be constructed. He said that the proposed works to provide internet connectivity to 5942 village Panchayats of the State under Bharat Net II project should be approved. Uttarakhand CM requested that the compulsion of keeping 10 per cent money in the bank account of the national tribunal under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority ( CAMPA) should be reduced to two per cent. He said that a Him Prahari scheme for the snow covered border districts of the State is proposed. The Him Praharis would help in providing timely information about natural disasters, relief and rescue operations, training to rural population on border safety and other works. He requested that the government of India should provide financial assistance for this project.
