Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 12 Sep: BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has strongly countered Congress allegations regarding the Uttarakhand Investment and Infrastructure Development Board (UIIDB), accusing the Opposition of spreading falsehoods about land allocation. He said that Congress leaders are deliberately misleading the public by claiming that 7,000 bighas of land have been handed over to private companies, whereas in reality, UIIDB has only 18 hectares under it at present.
Bhatt asserted that the Dhami government is pursuing transparent and rule-based policies to double the State’s GDP by utilising unused land for investment and employment generation. He accused Congress of attempting to obstruct development by resorting to baseless charges, adding that the Opposition’s frustration stems from the repeated electoral defeats that it has faced in Uttarakhand. BJP State president also reminded Congress of its own record of land mismanagement, citing examples such as the sale of IT Park land in Dehradun to builders at throwaway prices and changes in land use that caused heavy revenue losses. He said that during Congress rule, valuable land was distributed to private interests, leading to audit objections and corruption charges.
Highlighting current initiatives, Bhatt said that UIIDB is facilitating investment in tourism, education, agriculture and wellness sectors through a lease model, ensuring that ownership of land remains with the state. He pointed to projects such as the proposed education city at Selaqui, where Rs 1,000 crore investment is expected to provide opportunities for over 3,000 students and generate direct and indirect employment. He added that similar efforts are underway to attract global companies in IT, data centres, semiconductors and automobile industries, just as Congress governments in Telangana and Karnataka have themselves provided land to investors.
Bhatt accused Congress of hypocrisy, saying its leaders have admitted to irregularities during their own tenure, including allocation of IT Park land to real estate firms. He said the Dhami government’s policy is clear and transparent, with land being leased only for productive use under strict environmental norms. He argued that leaving land unused benefits neither employment nor the economy, whereas planned utilisation through UIIDB is creating opportunities for youth and expanding markets for local products.
He claimed that the people of Uttarakhand trust the zero tolerance approach of the BJP government under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and will not be misled by Congress’s negative agenda. According to Bhatt, the Opposition’s discomfort only reflects its inability to digest the pace of development taking place in the State.
