CM seeks Rs 2,000-cr assistance from Centre

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 23

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has sought Rs 2,000 crore per annum as special assistance from the Centre against the loss being suffered by the state due to the new set of recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.

Addressing the third meeting of Niti Aayog presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat called for providing assistance to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore per annum to Uttarakhand as compensation against the annual loss of Rs 1,500 crore being suffered by the state due to the 14th Finance Commission’s new recommendations.

Appealing for setting up of a separate ministry for development of hill states, the Chief Minister said a separate ministry for hill states like Uttarakhand and Himachal and North-Eastern states which would help prepare a better development strategy for these states.

The Chief Minister said based on a combined report of the Central Statistics Department and the Indian Forest Management Institute, Uttarakhand was providing eco-services worth Rs 40,000 crore annually to the nation and thus must be granted the annual Green Bonus to the tune of at least Rs 4,000 crore as compensation.

He also held that there were immense potentials in hydro, solar and other renewable energy production sectors in Uttarakhand and reiterated that the state government wanted cent percent electrification in the state. He also reaffirmed the state’s commitment to provide round-the-clock electricity supply and cheap electricity to the state people.

Referring to the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, Rawat said the Act needed to be made more pragmatic as per the ground realities along with ensuring development of infrastructure facilities in the remotest areas of the state that have tough geographical conditions.

He said various strategic steps were taken by the state government such as increasing dependency on millets and oilseed production, developing Uttarakhand as seed state, commercialisation of local foodgrains, improving the working conditions of women farmers, increasing crop yield and promoting organic farming in the state.

Rawat also took up the matter of Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone in his address and asked for reviewing the matter in public interest terming it as a hindrance in the way of development in the region.

He apprised about the preparations done by the state towards implementation of GST in Uttarakhand. He informed that software and various technical training of various departmental officials had already been undertaken and GST registration of all the traders was being done.  He also highlighted the rising incidents of man-animal conflict in Uttarakhand. He also laid stress on the state’s initiative towards development of smart villages in the state that would be equipped with bio-digester toilets, solar power LED lights.