Rawat asks Centre to fast-track long pending projects

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has asked the Centre to fast-track clearance of various long pending demands of the state including a green bonus of Rs 2,000 crore in return for its environment conservation efforts and funds for modernisation of state police.
Speaking at the Central Zonal Council Meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Lucknow yesterday, Rawat raised several Uttarakhand specific issues including quick disposal of division of liabilities and assets pending between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
He also asked for funds to prepare for 2016 Ardha Kumbh.
The Chief Minister requested the Centre to expeditiously take a decision on Rs 50 crore sought by the state for modernisation of Uttarakhand Police, Rs 150 crore for modernisation of prisons and Rs 2,000 crore as green bonus, an official release here said.

Due to the ban on several hydel projects in the state and declaration of a vast stretch of land as eco-sensitive, the state government is incurring huge losses per annum and therefore a green bonus of Rs 2,000 crore in compensation is a must, he said, asking the Centre to speed up the matter.
"The National Ganga Basin Authority has put a ban on several important hydel projects such as Pala Maneri Project, Bhairaghati Project and Lohari Naag Paala project.

"Besides this, Nand Prayag Langasu, Tamaklata, Bavla Nand Prayag, Kotli Bhel 1 and 2 and other important projects are pending since they have not received an NOC by the Environment and Forest Ministry," he said.

"The loss incurred by the state government due to this is Rs 1,650 crore which must be compensated by the central government," Rawat said.
The CM said that despite 14 years of Uttarakhand's existence, liabilities and assets have not been divided yet between the hill state and Uttar Pradesh out of which it was created.
Reminding the gathering that the Water Resources Ministry had decided in 2013 to transfer 41 canals to Uttarakhand which were completely within the geographical boundaries of the state, Rawat said this has not been done yet.
Similarly, transfer of 6 dams/ water bodies in Uttarakhand are yet to be transferred to the state, he said.

Most of these assets are located in Haridwar district.
It will be beneficial if they are transferred to the state before the Ardh Kumbh Fair to be held on the banks of the Ganga at Haridwar in January 2016, he said.
The CM sought early clearance of a project file forwarded to the Centre for approval of Rs 55 crore for preparations in view of the upcoming Ardha Kumbh Fair to strengthen security and other arrangements.