Garhwal Post Bureau
New Delhi, 22 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called on Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today and discussed a range of issues concerning the state’s infrastructure and housing development, particularly in view of the forthcoming Kumbh Mela in 2027. The CM also sought the Union Government’s cooperation for strengthening infrastructure and implementing housing schemes in Rishikesh, Haridwar and other prominent pilgrimage centres.
During the meeting, the CM expressed gratitude to the Union Minister for the approval of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) amounting to Rs 547.83 crores under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), aimed at undergrounding and automating HT/LT power lines in Rishikesh’s Ganga Corridor. Dhami further urged Khattar for swift clearance of a similar proposal worth Rs 315 crores for the Haridwar Kumbh area, also under the RDSS framework.
Emphasising the challenges in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) in Uttarakhand, the CM pointed out that private developers are reluctant to participate under the current Whitelisting and Redeemable Voucher system. He requested the reinstatement of the earlier 40:40:20 phased payment structure to expedite progress under the scheme.
Dham also informed Khattar that under the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), construction of 15,960 residential units is underway in Uttarakhand, of which 15,281 units have already been allotted to the beneficiaries. However, he also raised concern that beneficiaries from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) are facing difficulties in securing loans from major banks due to irregular income patterns and low CIBIL scores. He appealed to the central government to issue special directives to banks, NBFCs, State Level Bankers’ Committees (SLBCs) and the Reserve Bank of India to facilitate access to credit for these beneficiaries.
Dhami also shared that the state government is developing the Rishikesh-Ganga, Haridwar-Ganga and Tanakpur-Sharda riverfronts into world-class religious and cultural destinations. He requested a contribution of Rs 100 crores from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund of THDC India Limited, stating that such support would strengthen the Namami Gange initiative while also promoting sustainable tourism and enhancing local livelihoods.
The Chief Minister said that with the anticipated support from the central government, Uttarakhand is poised to achieve significant milestones in housing and infrastructure development, alongside the successful and environmentally conscious organisation of the Kumbh Mela in 2027. Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured the CM all possible cooperation from the Centre.
