Dehradun: Underlining poverty alleviation as the state government's topmost priority, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said a number of steps are being taken to create livelihood opportunities for locals which will also help in stopping migration from the hills.
The state government is soon going to start working on construction of 700 new roads which will further improve connectivity in rural areas and facilitate marketing of items produced by the local population, Rawat said.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the newly constructed Tehsil building and Guarder motor bridge at over Rs 7.19 crore at Jilasu in Chamoli district yesterday.
Livelihood opportunities are being created for locals and enterpreneurship at the local level is being incentivised through various schemes, including bonus for those?working in the field of agriculture, fruits and milk production,?to stop exodus of people from the hills in search of work, an official release, quoting the chief minister here said.
Several schemes are being run by the government for overall development of villages with a plan underway to provide government jobs to 20,000 youth, he said, adding, that there is another plan to create 100 mini cities over the next five years on the pattern of Jilasu in the state.
Highlighting the steps taken by the state government to increase road connectivity in rural areas, he said, "Today, every village is connected with the motor road, so that people can increase their production and market their produce in the nearest market".
The chief minister also announced around a dozen schemes on the occasion including a silt removal project in the Alaknanda river at Kaleshwar, construction of a flood protection wall in Kaleshwar, installation of 33 KV electricity sub-division in Langasu, linking Semi-Uttaro motor road with the highway, construction of a motor bridge at Sonla, ANM center in Uttaro and an Aayurvedic Hospital at Sumi gaon in Pokhri which will also?generate employment opportunities for the local populace.
Speaking on women empowerment, Rawat said 1,000 women constables are being recruited in the state police force with one woman constable each to be deployed at every police station.
