Rawat seeks Rs 4,000 cr for rebuilding Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand has sought a Rs 4,000-crore package from the Centre for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the state, still reeling from last year’s devastating floods in Kedarnath valley.

Uttarakhand has sought a Rs 4,000-crore package from the Centre for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the state, still reeling from last year’s devastating floods in Kedarnath valley.

The demand was placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi by chief minister Harish Rawat during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday.

Rawat was handed over the reins of the Himalayan state in February this year replacing Vijay Bahuguna who was accused of doing too little, too late in the wake of the killer floods last year.

Nearly 6,000 people were killed and infrastructure worth crores of rupees washed away when flash floods hit the least-prepared state in June, 2013.

Rawat submitted a memorandum to Modi listing the requirements of the state struggling to recover from the effects of the tragedy and the funds needed to rebuild shattered lives in affected areas especially re-creation of infrastructure, the CM’s media in-charge Surendra Kumar said, distributing copies of the memorandum among reporters here.

Kumar said that the prime minister assured “all possible assistance” to help the state.

Out of the total assistance of Rs 4000 crore, Rawat has sought Rs 1000 crore for rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood- ravaged Kedarnath and nearby towns of Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, Gaurikund and Lincholi.

The fabled shrine of Kedarnath forms a part of the state’s fabled Chardham religious circuit.

Rawat’s memorandum also included plans for “slope stabilization” and flood protection works to be taken up in a 10-km radius area on both sides of the river Bhagirathi in the district headquarter town of Uttarkashi.

The demand also included Rs 250 crore for road connectivity to Gairsain, the state’s proposed summer capital in Chamoli district, around 300 km from Dehradun.