Guv lists Uttarakhand govt priorities: Lokayukta, Gairsain as summer capital - Hindustan Times
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Guv lists Uttarakhand govt priorities: Lokayukta, Gairsain as summer capital

Hindustan Times | By
Mar 24, 2017 07:27 PM IST

Trivendra Singh Rawat dispensation promises plan to check migration, improve tourism potential and create job opportunities

DEHRADUN: The Trivendra Singh Rawat government in Uttarakhand would soon appoint the Lokayukta (anti-graft ombudsman) to fast track corruption cases against the higher bureaucracy and public representatives, Governor K K Paul said Friday.

Speaker Premchand Aggarwal welcomes Governor K K Paul on the first day of the assembly session as chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat looks on, in Dehradun on Friday.(Vinay Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)
Speaker Premchand Aggarwal welcomes Governor K K Paul on the first day of the assembly session as chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat looks on, in Dehradun on Friday.(Vinay Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

“In that connection, the Lokayukta Act, (introduced by the erstwhile BJP government in 2011) would be enforced,” Paul said in his inaugural address to the state’s fourth assembly, which has been convened for six-day interim budget session.

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Putting to rest the speculation on the status of Gairsain, a sleepy village in the Chamoli district, Paul said, “It (government) would soon consider declaring Gairsain as the state’s summer capital by equipping it with all infrastructural facilities.”

The Governor said that the government would also initiate directional changes in planning to check forced migration from the state. “(To ensure that) employment and self employment opportunities would be created in different areas”, Paul said while listing out the BJP government’s development agenda that promises to boost the key sectors like health, education, tourism, farm, horticulture, and infrastructure.

“A policy would also be introduced to ensure all-round development of the youth besides employment opportunities for them,” he said adding skill development programmes would be initiated to create self employment for the youth as well as women.

“The improvement in the state’s education system is no less than a challenge,” the Governor noted, adding, the government would introduce quality education to prepare the youth in keeping with the requirements of the fast changing globalised world. The government would also make the financial resources available to “poor but meritorious” students to help them pursue their education, he said. Strict measures would be initiated to stop corruption in education and its commercialisation.

A health system easily accessible to the people would also be introduced, he said and added that mobile medical service would be strengthened and all state-run hospitals would be equipped with latest medical facilities. “The system of telemedicine would also be introduced,” Paul said, adding that the existing medical colleges would be equipped with facilities while efforts would be made to open new medical colleges. Besides, efforts would be made to tackle the problem of the paucity of doctors.

The Governor said that a concrete policy to strengthen tourism, eco-tourism, religious tourism and cultural tourism would also be introduced so that the state could emerge as an international destination. Modern and scientific methods would also be propagated among farmers to make agriculture employment oriented and profitable. Besides, an extensive soil health survey would be carried out so that soil types suitable for different agricultural and horticultural crops could be identified to get maximum productivity.

On the infrastructure front, Paul said providing basic facilities at the level of village, town and cities would be one of the government’s top priorities. Besides, all the villages across the state would be provided road connectivity by 2019, he announced. “Similarly, rail and air network facilities will be developed in the mountain state,” he said and added that villages would also be developed on the pattern of the smart cities.

The Transfer Act introduced by the erstwhile BJP government would also be enforced to bring in transparency in transfer of employees and officials. “Strict implementation of the right to services rules would also be ensured”, the Governor said adding, e-governance would also be introduced to bring in transparency in governance.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GUV SPEECH

1. Government to review education policy

2. Boarding schools in each district for girl students

3. Research in astrology, architecture, ancient Sanskrit texts and the ritual aspect of the Hinduism to be encouraged

4. Trauma centres in accident-prone hill areas

5. Ancient temples to be restored.

6. Amount given to ex-servicemen under welfare schemes to be increased

7. All villages to get road connectivity by 2019

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