Centre Clears Rs 1,700 Cr For Uttarakhand Rural Road Projects; State Seeks Support For Damaged Infra

A network of roads is being laid in the state's villages under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). On Tuesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met with Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chauhan in Delhi to discuss issues related to agriculture, rural development, and disaster-affected infrastructure. 

During the meeting, the Union Minister approved Rs 1,700 crore for the construction of 184 rural roads in Uttarakhand. The total length of these roads will be 1,228 kilometres. 

Discussing matters related to the PMGSY, Chief Minister Dhami stated that 946 roads and 15 bridges in the state have been severely damaged in recent natural disasters. He said that Rs 650 crore is required for their reconstruction. 

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The CM added that this damage is challenging for a hill state with limited resources, and therefore, special support from the Centre is expected. He also urged the provision of necessary funds to repair 5,900 homes damaged in the disaster. 

The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Centre for including work related to farm fencing, in view of crop damage from wildlife, in the RKVY-DPR. He also requested a budget of Rs 200 crore annually for the next five years to resolve this issue in the state. 

In response, the Union Minister gave an assurance that the funds would be allocated soon. The Chief Minister also requested the release of the sanctioned Rs 98 crore for this year's Namami Gange Clean campaign under PM-RKVY. 

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Rajya Sabha member Mahendra Bhatt, along with officials from the agriculture and PMGSY departments, attended the occasion. 

“My gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan for sanctioning Rs 1,700 crore for the construction of rural roads. This approval will ease transport in mountainous and remote areas and, along with strengthening connectivity, will inject new energy into the rural economy. This sanction will not only accelerate the state's rural development but also further strengthen progress towards the goal of a developed India,” said Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.