PM Modi says previous govts looted Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 23 projects worth Rs 17,500 crore at Haldwani in Uttarakhand. These projects cover a wide array of sectors and areas across the state including irrigation, road, housing, health infrastructure, industry, sanitation and drinking water supply. The projects included laying the foundation stone of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Haldwani, Lakhwar Multipurpose, a hydropower facility in Pithoragarh, multiple road projects across the state under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna and strategically important Tanakpur-Pithoragarh Road project to improve the connectivity of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, among others. Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Aroma Park at Kashipur and Plastic Industrial Park at Sitarganj. The foundation stone of AIIMS, Rishikesh Satellite Centre at Udham Singh Nagar and Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College at Pithoragarh was also laid.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was privileged to visit Kumaon and his earlier memories of visiting the region have been refreshed. He said, the current double-engine government was focusing on the development of the state. Prime Minister said, to make this decade, decade of Uttarakhand, the government is focusing on the all-round development of facilities for tourism. The Prime Minister said that the strength of the people of Uttarakhand along with growing modern infrastructure, the Char Dham project, the new rail routes being built, attraction for Yoga, development of railway and tourism infrastructure, demand for herbal products will boost the development of state and make 2030, the decade of Uttarakhand.
Targetting the opposition, he said that earlier governments ignored the developmental needs of the state and of the people of the state. Earlier, people running the government were more interested in looting Uttarakhand and in saving their own government. He said, it was the trademark of earlier governments to put big schemes and developmental projects on the backburner. Prime Minister said that the work of the Lakhwar Project, which has started here in Uttarakhand today, has the same history. He said, the project was first thought of in 1976. Modi said that today after 46 years, our government has laid the foundation stone for its work. He said that the Central Government has also set up India's largest optical telescope at Devasthal in Nainital. This has not only given a new facility to the scientists of the country and abroad, but the state has also got a new identity because of it. He said, we are engaged in a mission from Gangotri to Gangasagar. The Prime Minister said that with the construction of toilets, better sewerage system and modern water treatment facilities, the number of dirty drains falling into the Ganga is decreasing rapidly.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked the Prime Minister for the developmental projects and added that these projects would act as a milestone in the development of the state and  will lead to the generation of employment for the youth of the state. He said that the government is making efforts to build the Manas Khand corridor in the Kumaon region, due to which along with tourism, new employment opportunities will also be created in the region of Kumaon. The Chief Minister said that today under the leadership of the Prime Minister, a dream-like idea of railways coming to the mountains, has been fulfilled.