Thursday, 14 NOVEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Tourism and Culture minister Satpal Maharaj said that the State government intends to form a Yatra authority in the future to conduct the pilgrimage to the Char Dham, other shrines, Kanwad Yatra, Nanda Devi Raj Jat and Kartik Swami pilgrimage which will also provide employment opportunities to all sections of society. He said that the Char Dham Yatra has been progressing every year under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami while the opposition is spreading rumours. The minister said this while addressing public gatherings at various places in the Kedarnath Vidhan Sabha constituency while campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Asha Nautiyal for the Kedarnath Assembly bypoll. Maharaj addressed the public in Kalimath, Budela, Byunkhi and other areas. He said that unprecedented development has been facilitated in Uttarakhand under PM Modi and CM Dhami’s leadership.
Appealing to the locals to vote for the BJP candidate, the minister said that this region has been a centre of spiritual, cultural and religious aspects since ancient times. Maharaj said that under PM Modi’s leadership, consistent progress is being achieved in pilgrimage, tourism and commerce in the State. The construction of the all-weather road is also contributing to a rise in the number of pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham Yatra every year. The construction of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail line is also underway on a war footing. On completion of this project in 2027, the journey between Rishikesh and Sonprayag will be completed in six hours. Maharaj said that every section of society is benefitting from various public welfare schemes introduced by the Modi government including the Ayushman Yojana, Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and dozens of other welfare schemes. Targetting the opposition, he said that the Congress is unnecessarily spreading rumours and trying to politicise Kedarnath Dham. Steps will be taken to resolve all the problems being faced in this area after the lifting of the model code of conduct in place for the Assembly bypoll. During the interaction with the minister, the locals of Budela and Jaggi Bagwan raised the demand for construction of a motor road till Kalishila and connecting settlements of Jaggi Bagwan with transport while the residents of Byukhi sought development of their village for tourism and completion of work on the Kunjethi-Byukhi motor road.
