CM Dhami meets PM Modi, seeks ₹ 2,942 crore package for Joshimath

Dehradun: Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction a ₹2,942.99 crore package for relief and rehabilitation measures for people affected due to land subsidence in Joshimath, a state government statement said.

Dhami also sought a Vande Bharat train between Haridwar and Varanasi, saying that this would make it easier for pilgrims to travel between the two holy towns. He also invited PM Modi to the Char Dham yatra, Adi Kailash and the Mayavati Ashram in Lohaghat.

Pitching for the Centre’s support at his 60-minute meeting with Modi, the chief minister said the Joshimath financial package requested by the state was required for relief and rehabilitation work. “The package includes the construction of 150 pre-fabricated houses, site development work, interim relief, compensation for damage to residential and commercial infrastructure, compensation for lands of families falling in the unsafe zone, permanent rehabilitation of affected people and acquisition and development of land and repair and restoration of affected departmental infrastructure. The work of stabilisation and redevelopment of Joshimath has also to be done”, Dhami said, according to a state government statement.

Dhami also told the prime minister that the state has set up the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre, which will advise on landslide mitigation and management at the national level. “The Centre has started functioning in Joshimath and a roadmap has been prepared for the affected disaster affected area”, he said.

Dhami apprised the PM about the progress of various central projects and expressed gratitude for the Centre’s support for various projects and schemes including the Public Investment Board’s approval of the Jamrani Dam project and requested early approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Dhami also apprised the PM about the State Millet Mission under which, 10,000 metric tonnes of Maduwa (Finger Millet) will be procured from farmers and distributed through the Public Distribution System.

“Along with this, Jhangore’s kheer (coarse grain pudding) will be made available to the students once a week in the mid-day meal. “There is a need to issue minimum support price for Jhangora, Ramdana and Kakuni traditional crops”, he said.

Dhami also sought the Centre’s approval for ₹249.5 crore proposal sent by the state under the guidelines of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission Scheme (NBHM) that has the potential to benefit 45,000 beekeepers.

Dhami apprised the PM about its “Empowered Uttarakhand” mission to strengthen the state’s economy, which seeks to double the GSDP from ₹2.75 lakh crore to ₹5.5 lakh crore by 2027. “At present, McKinsey global firm is preparing a strategy to achieve this goal by harmonising the development of infrastructure with a focused approach to attract private investment in tourism, agriculture, industry, health and education and service sectors”, he said.

Dhami also requested the PM to consider granting permission till March 2024 for works under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana I and II to complete all the remaining 473 works. “Under PMGSY, 407 habitations with a population of 150 to 249 are left in the state, in which construction of 3200 km long roads is proposed, and the estimated cost is ₹ 2900 crore”, he said, the state department said.

The CM also underlined that the government is setting up State Institute for Empowering and Transforming Uttarakhand-SETU- in the state on the lines of NITI Aayog.