Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of 17 projects in Uttarakhand on Thursday worth over Rs 14,100 crore and inaugurated another six projects in which Rs 3,400 crore has been invested. He also announced a Rs 2,000 crore “New Year Gift” package to develop Haldwani into a modern city.
Addressing a massive gathering at Haldwani, PM Modi said that the Lakhwar multipurpose hydel power project to be built at a cost of Rs 5750 crore was first conceived in 1976 and was lying pending for close to 50 years. The projects forms part of the infrastructure package including roads, hospitals and housing, work on which was flagged off today.
He lambasted the opposition for depriving the people of the benefits of the project for 46 long years. “Two generations have lost out because the opposition has been making false promises and not implementing the projects,” he pointed out.
PM Modi said that it was the BJP’s "double-engine" government that was now taking up mega infrastructure projects which had been ignored by the opposition when they were in power that provide thousands of job opportunities and bring development to the state.
“People will not have to migrate out of Uttarakhand any more as "we have focussed on various development projects for the satte to make this decade, the decade of Uttarakhand,” he explained.
“I believe that the capability of the people here will make this decade the decade of Uttarakhand. Modern infrastructure projects like the Char Dham project, new roads and rail routes will help give a bid boost to tourism in the state," the Prime Minister added.
"While all the projects will provide better connectivity and health facilities to the people of Kumaon, the number of tourists would also surge due to the better facilities,” he said.
PM Modi pointed out that the increase in visitors at the Char Dham circuit had already taken place and the Kashi Vishwanath temple had also started recording an increase in pilgrims after the development work that has just been completed.
The projects flagged off today cover a wide array of sectors across the state including irrigation, road, housing, health infrastructure, industry, sanitation and supply of drinking water.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated 6 new projects including multiple road widening projects, a hydropower project in Pithoragarh and projects to improve the sewerage network in Nainital. The cumulative cost of the projects that were inaugurated is over Rs 3,400 crore.
Work was flagged off on several road widening projects which will not only improve the connectivity of the remote areas but will also give a fillip to tourism, industrial and commercial activities in the region.
The road projects will improve the connectivity of the Garhwal, Kumaon and Terai regions and also the connectivity between Uttarakhand and Nepal. Improved connectivity will also benefit industrial areas in Rudrapur and Lalkuan besides improving the accessibility of Jim Corbett National Park.
Foundation stones of multiple road projects across the state under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna were laid by the Prime Minister.
The strategic Tanakpur-Pithoragarh road will now have all-weather connectivity that will facilitate the unhindered movement of the army to the border areas and improve connectivity for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of AIIMS Rishikesh satellite centre in Udham Singh Nagar district and Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College at Pithoragarh.
Further, to ensure a regular supply of quality water in the urban areas of Haridwar and Nainital, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of water supply schemes for these two cities.
In line with the Prime Minister's vision to create new avenues for tapping the inherent potential of a region, the foundation stone of a 41 acre Aroma Park at Kashipur and a 40-acre Plastic Industrial Park at Sitarganj was also laid.
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