Modi may inaugurate National Games
By Our Staff Reporter
New Delhi, 6 Jan: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here today. Dhami invited Modi to the upcoming National Games to be held in Uttarakhand and presented a shawl of Malari (Chamoli) and a replica of Narayan Ashram to the PM on this occasion.
Dhami expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of the state for Modi’s leadership, guidance, and cooperation in the development of the state. He also briefed the PM about the progress on the development works being carried out in the state, also mentioning that work is progressing rapidly on the first phase of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project. The CM shared with the PM that the survey work of the Tanakpur Bageshwar rail project has been completed. Dhami sought early approval of the Centre for this project and asked that the full financial expenditure should be borne by the Central Government.
In addition, Dhami also urged the PM for the closure of the old railway station in Rishikesh for the proposed basic development works and to operate all trains from the new Yoga Nagari railway station. He suggested that the rail track on the land of the old station could be used in the development of a new road system in order to improve traffic management in Rishikesh.
The CM also expressed gratitude to the PM for selecting Rishikesh as an iconic city for river rafting and sought additional resources from the central level for the development of Haridwar-Rishikesh Ganga Corridor and Sharda Corridor project, reminding the PM of the limited resources at the disposal of the state. While briefing the PM about the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Uttarakhand, Dhami sought the release of the remaining amount of the central contribution allocated to the mission soon.
Dhami shared with Modi that an MoU is proposed in collaboration with the Iceland Embassy for the exploitation of geothermal energy in the state. The necessary no objection letters (NOCs) have also been received from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India. Dhami requested the PM for all technical and financial support for this project so that Uttarakhand can play an important role in achieving the target of carbon net zero by 2070.
Additionally, Dhami also requested Central approval regarding the proposals sent to the Ministry of Road Transport, including the Rishikesh Bypass, Haridwar Bypass (Package 2), Dehradun-Mussoorie Connectivity, Dehradun Ring Road, Champawat Bypass, Lalkuan, Haldwani and Kathgodam Bypass, and the Manskhand Project.
IANS adds: Dhami’s meeting with PM Modi comes in the backdrop of the state government’s last-minute preparations for the roll-out of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), this month.
CM Dhami has categorically stated a couple of times that ‘Devbhoomi’ will roll-out the UCC in the new year. Sources claim that the Chief Minister is keen on bringing the new law by Makar Sakranti on January 14 or Republic Day.
Dhami’s meeting with PM Modi gives further credence to reports of UCC launch this month and the Chief Minister is understood to have sought the blessings of Prime Minister before the final roll-out.
CM Dhami also took to X to share information about this and said he ‘received guidance’ from PM Modi on various subjects.
“I met the great visionary who plays the role of a yagnik in the great yagya of nation’s progress, who has made all the countrymen proud on the global stage. Received guidance on various subjects. On this occasion, I also presented him a famous handmade shawl of Malari (Chamoli) region and a replica of Narayan Ashram in Pithoragarh,” he wrote.
Notably, the Uttarakhand government has been undertaking many measures for the smooth roll-out of UCC. State government officials have been asked to undertake training till January 20 while assistance centres and specialised mobile applications have been developed to train them for implementation of UCC procedures.
The Uttarakhand Home Secretary held a meeting recently to review the preparations and the same was attended by District Magistrates, Additional District Magistrates, Chief Development Officers, and Sub-Divisional Magistrates.
The BJP-ruled hill state is set to become the first state to implement the UCC, which mandates a uniform law for various matters like marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance and will be applicable to all the residents irrespective of their religion, caste and community.
