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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss various key issues related to the state.
The Chief Minister congratulated the Finance Minister on the successful implementation of GST reforms and expressed gratitude for the continued support extended by the Finance Ministry to Uttarakhand. CM Dhami highlighted that population pressure in the urban areas of Uttarakhand is steadily increasing. In a state that is ecologically sensitive and prone to heavy rainfall, there is a critical need to upgrade and improve the urban drainage system. He informed that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been prepared for upgrading the stormwater drainage systems in the 10 most rain-affected districts of the state, with a total estimated cost of Rs 8,589.47 crore. He requested the Union Finance Minister to approve these projects under the Special Assistance Scheme for capital investment to states. The Chief Minister also sought early approval for Uttarakhand's Externally Aided Projects (EAPs). He mentioned that out of three major proposals submitted by the state government, the Uttarakhand Climate Resilience Development Project has already been approved. Additionally, proposals of Rs 850 crore for the Public Financial Management Strengthening Project and Rs 800 crore for enhancing the water supply system have been submitted to the Central Government. He urged the Finance Minister to expedite approval for these projects. The Chief Minister further requested that, in line with previous assurances, four additional major projects be approved beyond the existing ceiling for EAPs for the financial years 2023-24 to 2025-26. These projects include the Rs 2,000 crore Urban Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Development Project, the Rs 424 crore DRIP-III (Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project), the Rs 3,638 crore Uttarakhand Climate Resilient Intra-State Power Transmission System Development, and the Rs 1,566 crore Uttarakhand Power Distribution Reliability Improvement Project. He stated that all these projects will significantly strengthen the state's basic infrastructure, water resource management, energy sector, and public service delivery systems. Finance Minister assured CM Dhami of all possible support from the Centre. (ANI)
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