PM launches projects worth ₹17,500 crore in Uttarakhand

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 23 projects worth over ₹17,500 crore in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani.
• The projects span across a wide range of sectors involving irrigation, roads, housing, health infrastructure, industry, sanitation, and drinking water supply.
• Six projects will be inaugurated during the programme, including multiple road widening projects , a hydropower plant in Pithoragarh, and sewerage network improvement projects in Nainital.

Lakhwar Multipurpose Project

• PM laid the foundation stone of the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project which was first conceived in 1976 and was pending for many years.
• This project of national importance, will enable irrigation of about 34,000 hectare additional land, produce 300 MW hydro power and supply drinking water to the six states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• PM also inaugurated the 5 MegaWatt capacity Suringad-II run of the river hydroelectric project built by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam (UJVN) Limited at Munsyari in Pithoragarh district built at a cost of about Rs 50 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna

• Foundation stones of multiple road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna were also be laid by the Prime Minister.
• The projects include laying of 133 rural roads with a total length of 1157 kilometers at cost of more than Rs 625 crore and construction of 151 bridges at a cost of about Rs 450 crores.
• The road projects being inaugurated by the Prime Minister include a project of 99 kilometer road widening from Nagina to Kashipur (NH-74) built at the cost of over Rs 2,500 Crore and projects to widen road at three stretches in the strategic Tanakpur-Pithoragarh road (NH 125) built under all-weather road project at the cost of over 780 crore.
• The road widening projects will boost tourism, industrial, and commercial activities in the region while also improving connection in rural locations.
• The crucial Tanakpur-Pithoragarh road will now have an all-weather connection that will facilitate the unhindered movement of the army to border areas and provide better connectivity for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Healthcare

• PM laid the foundation stone of AIIMS Rishikesh satellite centre in Udham Singh Nagar district and Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College at Pithoragarh.
• These two hospitals are being built at a cost of about Rs 500 crores and Rs 450 crore respectively.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban)

• For the economically weaker section in the cities of Sitarganj and Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district, PM laid the foundation stone for the construction of about 2,400 homes.
• These homes will be built at a cumulative cost of more than 170 crores.