By Our Staff Reporter
Devprayag (Tehri), 6 May: Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, currently on a tour of Uttarakhand, visited Devprayag today and performed puja at the sacred confluence of the Ganga and Alaknanda rivers. During his stay in Devprayag, he stressed on the importance of river conservation and enrichment of water resources and asserted that the preservation of small streams and water sources would provide a new impetus to rural development in the hills.
Sharing details of the primary objective behind his visit to Uttarakhand, Chouhan stated that his focus is on accelerating agricultural and rural development in Uttarakhand. He added that, yesterday, he had a detailed discussion with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi in Dehradun regarding the status of agriculture and rural development sectors in the state. Chouhan also observed that the officials from the Centre and the state have drafted plans focusing on innovation, centres of excellence, and the expansion of crops like kiwi and dragon fruit besides the traditional temperate fruits.
The Union Minister further shared that a road survey has been conducted in the Devprayag region under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana 4. Efforts will be made to swiftly connect villages that are still deprived of proper road access. Stressing upon the significance of water conservation, he noted that rural water sources would be enhanced through MNREGA and other schemes. He also lauded Uttarakhand’s rapid progress under the overall guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leadership of CM Dhami.
At the confluence of the Ganga and Alaknanda, Chouhan expressed admiration for the serene and divine aura of the place. He remarked that the calm and playful streams here bring immense joy.
Praising local MLA Vinod Kandari, Chouhan acknowledged the construction of footbridges to facilitate pilgrims and the ongoing development work in the area. He reaffirmed the commitment of both the central and state governments towards the comprehensive development of Uttarakhand, including Devprayag.
Earlier, on the arrival of Chouhan in Devprayag, local MLA Vinod Kandari extended a warm welcome to the Union Minister and presented him with a statue as a token of respect.
