Dhami stresses on innovative efforts to connect rainfed rivers with glacier based ones

Narendra Nagar, 7 Oct: Welcoming Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other dignitaries participating in the meeting of the Central Regional Council held in Narendra Nagar, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his gratitude to the Union Home Minister for organising this important meeting in Uttarakhand. He said that the Central Regional Council is like a bridge between the Centre and the States for mutual cooperation and similar matters. The Council is also a powerful medium for sharing mutual ideas and experiences, he claimed.

While mentioning some policy issues related to Uttarakhand in his address, the CM reminded that 71 percent of the land area of Uttarakhand is covered in forest area. Due to the difficult geographical conditions of the state, the cost of developing infrastructure facilities and creating essential services in Uttarakhand is higher than in other states. Dhami said that due to environmental restrictions in Uttarakhand, there are some difficulties in conducting development works as well as the economic resources of the state are also limited. Despite these circumstances and limited availability of resources, the state has been successful in increasing the per capita income of the state to almost double that of the national average, and by achieving many achievements in the direction of the development of the state, the government is continuously working towards making Uttarakhand an excellent and ideal state. Is trying.

Dhami mentioned that many perennial rivers including Ganga, Yamuna, Kali originating from Uttarakhand are also the lifeline of the plain areas. The Chief Minister suggested that innovative efforts should be made to link rainfed rivers with glacier based rivers on a scientific basis, and stressed that this will benefit not only Uttarakhand but the entire country. For this, he also stressed on providing technical and financial support from the Central Government to Uttarakhand and other central regional states.

The Chief Minister said that there is a strong need to strengthen the infrastructure facilities in the border areas of the state. At present, work is going on at a fast pace in the state under All Weather Road but there is a need to extend it to the border areas. Construction of Tanakpur to Bageshwar railway line in Kumaon on the lines of Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line will also be important from strategic point of view, he emphasised. The CM reminded that Uttarakhand is highly prone to disasters like landslides, excessive rainfall, forest fire, glacier sliding etc. For this, the state needs a strong weather forecasting system and infrastructure equipped with Doppler Radar. The Chief Minister said that the government is continuously working to provide banking facilities to the villagers. For this, he urged for cooperation from the Central Government to improve the electricity system, mobile connectivity and banking service system in such villages located in remote areas.

Dhami said that the year 2023 has been declared as “International Millet Year”, hence millet should be compulsorily provided to the children in the mid-day meal so that the children remain healthy, in this regard, proper coordination will be done with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Food.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that today under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the world has accepted the country’s demonstration of strength and peace. Organisation of meetings of councils of various sectors is working to improve centre-state relations, which is becoming a suitable platform for solving problems. He also proposed that the 25th meeting of the Central Regional Council be held in Varanasi. Adityanth said that the country’s largest populous state is becoming recognised as a prosperous state under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He said that Himalayan states along with Uttarakhand and Himachal have to face the problem of disaster during monsoon. Now many new areas are also joining it. For this, he talked about securing the catchment area of the rivers as well as taking initiatives towards channelisation of the rivers. He also stressed on working in mission mode to prevent incidents of lightning. He expressed the need to think about what better things all states can do through mutual participation in reducing human-wildlife conflict.

On this occasion, Cabinet Ministers Prem Chand Aggarwal, Subodh Uniyal, Chief Secretary Dr SS Sandhu along with other Secretaries were present.