By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 10 Jul: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, on his first tour of Delhi as CM, today called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed with him the issues related to Uttarakhand. Though the meeting had been scheduled for 15 minutes only, it lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. The meeting was officially described as a courtesy call. During the meeting, the Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister on the help and cooperation provided by the Union Government towards the development of Uttarakhand state. He said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Uttarakhand was moving ahead on the development path at a rapid pace.
The Prime Minister congratulated Dhami on becoming the Chief Minister, hoped that the development in the state would be rapid under his leadership. Chief Minister briefed the Prime Minister in respect of the major issues related to the state. He also discussed the Chardham Yatra and how the state planned the Yatra for the current season. The Chief Minister said that the construction and the reconstruction work of second phase had begun in Kedarnath Dham at the cost of Rs 108.78 crores. The Chief Minister urged the PM to spare time for the foundation laying ceremony or the virtual ceremony for the second phase of construction work in Kedarnath Dham.The CM also informed the PM of the preparations being made by the state to tackle any possible third wave of Covid in Uttarakhand. Dhami said that many important initiatives had been taken to improve the health sector in the state with the help of the Union Government. He also observed that AIIMS Rishikesh was an important gift of the Centre to the state and that AIIMS had played a key role in tackling of Covid pandemic in Uttarakhand. Dhami urged the PM to consider approval of a second AIIMS for Kumaon region this time in view of the heterogeneous geographical conditions of the state. He added that the state would provide land for the same. With the AIIMS in Kumaon region too, the people of Kumaon region would also get access to world class medical facilities in their division.
The Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister to provide the approval of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) for the construction of 300 MW Lakhwar Multipurpose Hydro Power Project on the Yamuna project. Dhami informed that this project was of national importance since six states namely, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana would benefit from this project. He also informed the PM that all the approvals and acceptances had been received by the state for the project but only the approval of the CCEA was pending. Once this was granted, construction work on the project could begin.
The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Uttarakhand was making a place for itself in the country’s leading states. He also thanked the PM for granting him more time than the scheduled fifteen minutes during the meeting and said that this reflected the attachment that the PM had for Uttarakhand and its people.
Later in the day, CM Dhami also made a courtesy call on President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtapati Bhavan and on this occasion also presented a souvenir to the President.
