In a significant announcement, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna directed all the government officers to complete development-related works in three months and present progress reports every seven days.
Bahuguna made the announcement, while reviewing the development works of Haridwar and Uttarkashi districts last evening, an official statement said.
However, it was not clear whether the new announcement includes big projects in sectors, like hydropower, which are impossible to be completed within a stipulated period. “The chief minister has stated that development works, where targets have already been set should be completed in time,” clarified S S Rawat, secretary to the CM.
After months of bitter infighting, within the ruling Congress in Uttarakhand in March-April, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has started focusing on development works. To begin with, the chief minister is reviewing progress in various departments and calling for building new infrastructure projects. He has also initiated the process of reviewing district-wise development works in the hilly areas also and decided to set up a new vidhan sabha at Gairsain.
Bahuguna has brought a new public-private partnership policy to give boost to the infrastructure projects. For the industrial development, the chief minister has announced plans for “SIDCUL-Phase-II” for the development of the new industrial estate at Sitarganj at 2,000-2,400 acres area.
At a time when the previous BJP government was unable to spend less than 60 per cent of the annual plan, Bahuguna began the process of holding review meetings of PWD, forest, industry and health and other departments at the secretariat.
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Expressing dissatisfaction over the progress of work under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Bahuguna has directed the officers to form a state- and district-level master plan and a core network for PMGSY.
Stating over 4,000 villages were yet to be connected by roads, he said, Rs 2,760 crore would be spent for roads in the coming three years.
Stating the Tehri reservoir was important for promoting tourism, he directed the officers to prepare a proposal to develop air connectivity at Chinyalisaur area in the district and look for possibility of a ring road there.
Reviewing forest clearance for construction of roads, he asked the district magistrates to hold monthly review meetings with forest officers to resolve the pending issues and submit report to the government for evaluation by chief secretary Alok Kumar Jain.
With the centre giving a special assistance of Rs 800 crore for improving infrastructure in Uttarakhand, the government is now planning to build a series of new infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity and boost tourism in the hill state. “We want to improve our infrastructure and tourism is the main GDP growth driver. We also want to focus on this sector. In the coming days, the infrastructure will get a boost,” said Bahuguna.
For this purpose, the government is planning to build a series of new infrastructure projects which include new flyovers and broad roads in the state. “We are chalking out our plans in such a way that we can focus on infrastructure projects. After getting the special assistance of Rs 800 crore for infrastructure projects, the money is now no constraint for us,” he says.
For effective management of traffic in the capital city 6 flyovers and 5 railway over-bridges will be constructed. A series of infrastructure projects which were conceptualized during the BJP government are being revived. Bahuguna has already asked chief secretary Alok Kumar Jain to periodically review the progress of such PPP projects.