Rural Devp Ministry's special package under IAY for U'khand

Rural Development Ministry will give a special package under Indira Awaz Yojna to flood- ravaged Uttarakhand by doubling the allocation of housing units by adding another 14,000.

This was disclosed by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today in a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.

The decision to consider enhancing allocation of housing units and construction of roads is besides the Rs 336 crore allocated under Prime Minister's Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).

In the letter, Ramesh said the state was allocated 14,012 housing units under Indira Awaz Yojna for which central allocation was pegged at Rs 78.82 crore for this fiscal.

"We could consider a special package under IAY for Uttarakhand which would involve additional 14,000 units... I would request for specific proposals from the state and I assure of our fullest and speedy cooperation in the matter," Ramesh said in the letter.

He said the Empowered Committee on PMGSY had cleared the proposal for 82 roads and 27 bridges covering 675 km and valued at Rs 336 crore.

Ramesh said considering the "extraordinary situation" in the state, the Ministry is making an "additional" offer to the state over and above these proposals that have been cleared under PMGSY.

"We would be prepared to consider and clear additional proposals for upgrading of such through routes not covered under PMGSY in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts," he said.

The minister said some areas of Pauri Garhwal district may also need upgrading and these could also be included in this scheme.

Senior officials of the state have met Ramesh earlier and he has conveyed the offers to them.

The ministry will consider "expeditious consideration and clearance" after receiving proposals from the government within the balance upgrading target, he said.

"I would suggest that we begin with a portfolio of something like 500 km and if that is insufficient, we can always increase," he said.