PM Narendra Modi launches Rs 17.5K-crore projects in Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused successive Congress governments at the Centre and in Uttarakhand of dragging their feet for decades over development projects, forcing people to migrate from their villages in the state.

Addressing a rally in Haldwani, Modi accused the previous Uttarakhand governments of “looting” the state and doing nothing for its development.

He said this inaugurating and laying foundation stones of projects worth over Rs 17,500 crore, including the Rs 5,747 crore Lakhwar hydropower project.

Modi said the Lakhwar project was thought of in 1974 and took nearly 46 years to see the light of day. “Generations of people in Uttarakhand villages were forced to leave their homes in the absence of roads and other facilities and migrate somewhere else,” he said.

Modi also announced that he is bringing infrastructure projects worth Rs 2,000 crore to Haldwani as a New Year gift.

He accused the previous regime in Uttarakhand of being interested only in “looting’ the state and said it did nothing for its development.