Uttarakhand CM Dhami Meets Raksha Mantri & Jal Shakti Minister

Uttarakhand CM Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami paid a courtesy call on Union Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister also requested the Raksha Mantri to recommend the Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line broad gauge (BG) at the level of the Defense Ministry in view of its strategic importance. The Chief Minister also requested for central assistance while amending the MoU for the infrastructure facilities of the approved Sainik School at Jakholi, Rudraprayag.

Tanakpur-Bageshwar broad gauge line is necessary in view of strategic importance

The Chief Minister said that for the development of regional socio-cultural and tourism and from a strategic point of view, the Ministry of Railways, Government of India has issued survey order for narrow gauge railway line between Tanakpur and Bageshwar. The Chief Minister said that neither the issues of strategic importance would be solved by the narrow gauge railway line, nor the traffic and other basic needs would be met here. This line should be in broad gauge. This railway line is strategically very important due to its location near the international border of China and Nepal. Along with this, it will also connect new business centers. The Chief Minister requested the Union Defense Minister to recommend from his level also for the approval of Tanakpur-Bageshwar broad gauge line.

Request for central assistance for the infrastructure facilities of Sainik School approved at Jakholi, Rudraprayag

Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami apprised the Union Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh that approval had been given to open an additional Sainik School in the state of Uttarakhand at Jakholi, Rudraprayag district. For this an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the state of Uttarakhand. For the establishment of Sainik School, the state of Uttarakhand had to provide infrastructure facilities. In view of the limited financial resources of the state, the Chief Minister, while amending the MoU, urged for providing financial assistance for infrastructure development by the Government of India.

Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami paid a courtesy call on Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi. The Chief Minister requested the Government of India to provide financial approval for the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project and for a revised MoU for the Kisau project. On this, the Union Jal Shakti Minister said that financial approval will be given soon from the Government of India for the Lakhwar multipurpose project. A joint meeting of the concerned states will be held on the Kisau project. The Union Minister also assured for the revised MoU of Kisau project. It was also decided that Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami would soon conduct a joint review of Jal Jeevan Mission in Uttarakhand.

The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister to provide changes or relaxations in the standards for the hill states under PMKSY-Har Khet Ko Pani Yojana. He also requested to issue approval for 422 minor irrigation schemes under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana – “Har Khet Ko Pani”.

Lakhwar Multipurpose Project

The Chief Minister, while discussing the 300 MW Lakhwar multipurpose project on Yamuna river in Dehradun district, said that all the necessary approvals have been received for the construction of the project and as soon as it receives the approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Government of India for financial assistance and the central grant. The construction work of a project of national importance can be started. The Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to take necessary action on priority for granting early financial approval of Lakhwar Multipurpose Project from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Government of India. On this, the Union Jal Shakti Minister said that financial approval will be given soon from the Government of India for the Lakhwal multipurpose project.

It is worth mentioning that the technical approval of Lakhwad Multipurpose Project (300 MW) was issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India on 03 January 2013 and investment approval in the month of April, 2016. Under the investment approval issued by the Government of India, out of the total estimated cost of Rs 5747.17 crore, the water component of Rs 4673.01 crore (81.30%) is to be financed by the Government of India in the ratio of 90:10 and the remaining Rs 1074.00 crore (18.70%) which is That there is an energy component, will be financed by the Uttarakhand government.

Kisau Project

While discussing the Kisau project, the Chief Minister said that the electricity component cost and water component cost of the project should be fixed at 13.3 percent and 86.7 percent respectively in future relative to the total revised cost of the project. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh may be permitted to use their watersheds without any hindrance limit and to sell the unutilized waters (if any) of their watersheds to any state. The water share allotted by the Upper Yamuna River Board to the state of Uttarakhand in the past should not be less than 3.814 percent. The Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to take necessary action regarding the signing of the Inter-State MoU with the above amendments to speed up the implementation of the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project. The Union Minister said that a joint meeting of the concerned states would be held on the Kisau project. The Union Minister also assured for the revised MoU of Kisau project.

The Chief Minister requested to release the remaining central share of Rs 29.52 crore for 12 schemes under construction under the centrally funded Flood Management Program (CSS-FMP) and approval for investment clearance of 38 new flood protection schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 1108.38 crore.

The Chief Minister said that 12 schemes under construction under the centrally funded flood management program, against the sanctioned cost of Rs 158.67 crore, the central share of Rs 29.52 crore is yet to be released from the Government of India level. The entire amount of state share has already been released by the state government against the sanctioned cost of all the above works. The utilization certificate of the amount of central share released earlier by the Government of India has also been sent to the Ganga Flood Control Commission, Patna, Government of India. The Chief Minister requested to release the remaining central share amounting to Rs.29.52 crore from the level of Government of India.

The Chief Minister said that under the centrally funded flood management program of Uttarakhand state, 38 new flood protection schemes, the estimated cost is Rs 1108.38 crore, Ganga Flood Control Commission, Patna, Water Resources