Uttarakhand CM meets Union Power Minister, seeks support for housing & infrastructure ahead of Kumbh 2027
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured the Chief Minister of all possible support from the Central Government
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi today and held discussions on key infrastructure and housing-related issues in the run-up to the Kumbh 2027 at Rishikesh, Haridwar, and other pilgrimage centers.
The Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister for approving the DPR of ₹547.83 crore for undergrounding and automation of HT/LT power lines in the Ganga corridor of Rishikesh under the RDSS scheme. He also urged early approval of a similar proposal worth ₹315 crore for the Haridwar Kumbh area under the same scheme.
Highlighting challenges in housing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Dhami pointed out that private developers are hesitant due to the current Whitelisting and Redeemable Voucher system. He requested the reinstatement of the earlier 40:40:20 phased payment mechanism to ensure smooth implementation.
The Chief Minister informed that construction of 15,960 housing units is underway under the Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) component, with 15,281 units already allotted to beneficiaries. However, due to unorganized income patterns and low CIBIL scores, many beneficiaries from the EWS category are unable to secure bank loans. He urged the Centre to issue special guidelines to banks, NBFCs, SLBC, and RBI to facilitate loan access for such beneficiaries.
Dhami further apprised the Union Minister about the state government’s initiative to develop Rishikesh-Ganga, Haridwar-Ganga, and Sharda Riverfront at Tanakpur as world-class religious and cultural destinations. He sought a contribution of ₹100 crore from THDC’s CSR fund, noting that the projects would not only support the Namami Gange programme but also boost sustainable tourism and local livelihoods.
The Chief Minister expressed confidence that with the Centre’s cooperation, Uttarakhand will achieve new milestones in housing and infrastructure development while successfully organizing a grand, safe, and environmentally sensitive Kumbh in 2027.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured the Chief Minister of all possible support from the Central Government.
