...Demands Rs 500 cr for Ardh Kumbh

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 25

Chief Minister Harish Rawat has sought Rs 500 crore for Ardh Kumbh to be held in Haridwar next year. In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister stated that around 7 to 8 crore pilgrims were expected to arrive in Haridwar for Ardh Kumbh and thus Rs 500 crore assistance was needed to build the necessary infrastructure.

He said infrastructure of permanent nature was being built for Ardh Kumbh and Rs 325 crore to Rs 500 crore would be spent on it. He even reminded the Prime Minister that the Niti Ayog in March this year had approved over Rs 166 crore for Ardh Kumbh but the state was yet to receive that amount.

The Chief Minister also raised the issue of finances given to the state under the Centrally-sponsored schemes. He said the new pattern of funding under the Centrally-sponsored schemes had only hurt the interests of Uttarakhand. Even the Economic Survey report of the Centre had acknowledged that Uttarakhand had been a loser under the new pattern of financing.

The Chief Minister in another letter to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged him to make air traffic fuel (ATF) arrangements at the Pantnagar Airport. He pointed out that Pantnagar was being developed as a big industrial hub and lack of ATF was hindering operations of private aviation companies.

He said at present Air India was undertaking only four flights between Pantnagar and Delhi daily. He asked Pradhan to direct Indian Oil Corporation, Pantnagar, to provide ATF to the Pantnagar airport.