Wednesday, 26 June 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and congratulated him for becoming the PM of the country for the third consecutive term. He expressed confidence that under the leadership of the PM, India will achieve new dimensions of overall development and create new records of success. The CM presented him a replica of Mahasu Devta temple as a souvenir on the occasion.
In the meeting the CM presented the case of the State on various development issues and projects. Raising the issue of stalled hydropower projects, the CM requested the PM to re-examine the final report of the Supreme Court constituted, expert committee-II regarding the 24 hydropower projects proposed on Alaknanda, Bhagirathi rivers and their tributaries. He said that the hydropower projects are key for the pursuit to increase the State’s gross domestic product (GDP). Dhami said that the State has to purchase power worth Rs 1,000 crore from the open market every year, which is putting an additional burden on its financial resources.
Raising the issue of compensatory plantation for road construction and other developmental projects, the CM said as per the rules the compensatory plantation should be done on an area which is twice the forest land used in development projects and this land should be non-forest revenue land. The CM said that in view of its special geographical conditions of the State, the Government of India and its agencies are facing difficulty in selecting suitable land for compensatory plantation.
Since Uttarakhand has 67 per cent area under forest cover, availability of land for development works is less. Uttarakhand is a State of strategic importance with international borders. Dhami requested the PM to direct the concerned Ministry to approve the ongoing forest land transfer proposals and to carry out compensatory plantation in the ‘notified degraded forest land’ (reserved and protected forests) available in the State.
In the meeting the CM also requested the PM for setting up a Multi Model Logistics Park to encourage investment in the state and transfer of land from BHEL Haridwar to the State for industrial development.
Dhami informed the PM that an integrated manufacturing cluster at Khurpiya is being constructed on 1,002 acres of land with 50-50 per cent share of Union and State governments. The value of the land provided by the State government is Rs 410 crore and all NOCs have been received. He requested the PM to approve the cluster. The CM also sought financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for the ambitious Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission (MMMM). He said that under MMMM an action plan is being prepared for the development of Sharda corridor to develop the famous Purnagiri Dham located in the Kumaon region.
Dhami informed that master plans for development of Kainchi Dham and Adi Kailash area in Gunji village of Pithoragarh are ready. He also requested the PM to get the Dehradun-Mussoorie rail line project approved by the Railway Ministry for the expansion of rail services in Uttarakhand. The CM also requested the PM for administrative and financial approval of the proposed Jyoali Kang-Vedang 5-km, Sipu-Tola 22-km and Milam-Lapthal 30-km tunnel projects in Uttarakhand.
