Tuesday 28 August 2012

Government approves 250 cr investment for development of Uttarakhand infrastructure

The Government of India has approved various projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 250 crore in Uttarakhand for developing human resources and infrastructure.
The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma, said the Textiles Ministry will conduct a skill development scheme in Dehradun, Roorkee and Haldwani while the establishment of a textile park has also been approved in principle. Two spice parks will be established in Uttarakhand in addition to which the Union Government will accord priority to promoting organic foods produced in the State.
Addressing media in Dehradun after attending a meeting with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, State Ministers and senior bureaucrats, Sharma said that 15,000 youth will receive vocational training in five years as part of the skill development scheme in Roorkee, Dehradun and Haldwani. The Union Government will bear 75 per cent of the Rs 100-crore cost of this scheme.
The Central Government will also bear the Rs 15 crore costs for establishing spice parks on land provided by the State at Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar and Majri Grant in Dehradun. Responding to the State’s request of facilitating construction of international business and convention centres in Pantnagar and Haridwar, Sharma has assured that this will be considered on PPP mode with the Centre, State and private sector as stakeholders.
The Centre would provide Rs 1 crore assistance for sheep and wool improvement schemes in Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts under which arrangement would be made for breed improvement, immunisation, health and medicine for about one lakh sheep. Latest machines would also be introduced for wool processing and spinning.
Sharma also approved in principle the proposal made by the State for a textile park, adding that the Centre will extend financial assistance of 40 per cent or maximum Rs 40 crore for the proposed project in Udhamsingh Nagar. He also assured of taking up the matter of railway over-bridge at Pantnagar with the Railway Ministry.
Referring to the State’s immense potential in the field of food processing and agriculture, Sharma said, “About 35 per cent of the perishable produce get destroyed owing to lack of proper management depriving the farmers of profit. I have asked the State to forward a proposal to the Centre for setting up of cold storages and packaging houses under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority with the Centre providing financial assistance of up to Rs 10 crore.” Bahuguna said that the State will encourage domestic and foreign direct investment in the agriculture and horticulture sectors in Uttarakhand. Sharma has also been requested to raise with the Prime Minister and the Environment and Forest Minister the issue of power projects close to completion that were stalled in spite of having requisite clearances. “To improve the electricity scenario in Uttarakhand, we are speeding up work on those power projects which are not affected by such hurdles,” he added.

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