Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Meets Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami today met Union Power Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi and discussed several important issues related to the state.

The Chief Minister sought the Centre’s support for infrastructure development and housing schemes in Rishikesh, Haridwar, and other pilgrimage areas in view of the upcoming Kumbh Mela 2027. He expressed gratitude to the Union Minister for approving the DPR worth ₹547.83 crore under the RDSS scheme for undergrounding and automation of HT/LT power lines in the Rishikesh Ganga Corridor. He also requested early approval of a similar proposal worth ₹315 crore for the Haridwar Kumbh area under the same scheme.

The Chief Minister highlighted that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), due to the whitelist and redeemable voucher system, private developers are showing little interest in projects. He requested the reinstatement of the earlier 40:40:20 phased payment system to speed up implementation. He informed that under the AHP (Affordable Housing in Partnership) component of the scheme, 15,960 housing units are under construction in the state, of which 15,281 units have already been allotted to beneficiaries. However, due to unorganized income sources and low credit scores of beneficiaries in the EWS category, banks are not extending loan facilities. He requested that the Centre issue special guidelines to banks, NBFCs, SLBC, and RBI so that more beneficiaries can avail the scheme.

The Chief Minister also informed that the state government is developing the Rishikesh Ganga, Haridwar Ganga, and Sharda Riverfront in Tanakpur as world-class religious and cultural destinations. He requested a support of ₹100 crore from THDC’s CSR fund, stating that this effort will not only strengthen the Namami Gange program but also promote sustainable tourism and local livelihoods.

CM Dhami expressed confidence that with the Centre’s expected support, Uttarakhand will achieve new milestones in housing and infrastructure development along with organizing a grand, safe, and environmentally sensitive Kumbh Mela.

Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar assured him of all possible support.

(Department of Information & Public Relations)