Friday, 03 January 2025 | Gajendra Singh Negi
2025 beckons
The small Himalayan State of Uttarakhand has entered the year 2025 with plenty of hopes and aspirations. The State, set to complete 25 years of its creation this year, wants that the double engine government headed by BJP in which it has reposed its full faith in consecutive elections in the last 10 years should take up its core issues in right earnest. Despite tall claims, the condition of the health services of the State, especially in the mountainous areas, continues to be in shambles. The economy is still dependent on the Centre’s largesse; the exodus from the mountains continues unabated; the ghost villages continue to show mirror to the myopic planners and the issue of unemployment persists to pose a question mark on the proclamations of those in power. Considering the current political stability in Dehradun and the excellent relationship chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami enjoys with Prime Minister Narendra Modi , things are quite conducive for a robust economic growth and all round development of the State. One hopes that innovative ideas will propel planners to take on the perpetual problems plaguing the State in its Silver Jubilee year.
Rebels galore
A series of electoral losses and ignominy of being out of power for a long period of time is taking a toll on the Congress party in Uttarakhand. The frustration of the party leaders and workers is manifesting in the internal bickering and revolt during the ongoing process of Urban Local Body elections. The Congress leadership was embarrassed when vice president (organisation) Mathuradutt Joshi threatened to leave the grand old party after his wife was denied mayoral ticket from his native Pithoragarh. He unleashed his frustration in the media by accusing Harish Rawat, Yashpal Arya and Pritam Singh for consistently ignoring a dedicated party worker like him. The choice of mayoral candidate of the party in Pithoragarh also did not go down well with the local MLA Mayukh Mahar who expressed his open support for the rebel candidate of the party. In Roorkee, the party is facing rebellion from the former chairman Yashpal Rana and in many other places the rebellion is creating hurdles in the way of official candidates of Congress. Though dissension is also being seen in the BJP, the party brass manages to keep things in check, given its advantage of being in power.
Green wealth
The decision of the Pushkar Singh Dhami government to make a strong plea before the 16th finance commission for an appropriate monetary incentive to Uttarakhand in lieu of the environmental services rendered by it is commendable. The State government is working on an exhaustive report replete with data, evidence and logic to buttress its claim of the green bonus from the centre. With more than 70 per cent of its geographical area covered with forests, Uttarakhand gives valuable environmental services to the country. In recent times, the State has also tried to quantify its environmental services for its claim on green bonus. The demand of the State is logical, considering the price the State has to pay for conserving its green cover. The developmental activities in many parts of the State get affected by forest laws and an overassertive judiciary has stalled many hydropower projects in the State ostensibly for saving the environment.
