Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for 23 projects estimated at ₹17,500 crore in Uttarakhand, and termed the past delay in the Lakhwar multi-purpose project “nothing short of a crime”.
The project was first thought of in 1976, but it was on Thursday that the foundation stone for it was laid. Delay in implementing schemes was a trademark of those who were in government earlier, he said.
“The Lakhwar project, which has started here in Uttarakhand today, has the same history… Today after 46 years, our government has laid the foundation stone for its work. This delay is nothing short of a crime,” he said. At a time when Assembly election in the State is likely to be announced soon, Mr. Modi said that the governments in Delhi and Dehradun today were not driven by desire for power, but a spirit of service.
Mr. Modi laid the foundation stone for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh satellite centre at Udham Singh Nagar.
Citing ongoing works such as the Char Dham project and new rail routes, he noted that this would be the decade of Uttarakhand. Earlier people migrated from the region due to lack of development. The problems faced in the past were now being converted into facilities, he said.
Among the projects launched were ₹8,700-crore worth road works, which would improve connectivity in the remote and border areas as well as the movement of pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a government statement said.
‘Defence needs ignored’
“The Prime Minister lamented the fact that despite being a border State, many defence-related needs were ignored. Along with connectivity, every aspect of national security was ignored. He said soldiers had to wait for connectivity, essential armour, ammunition and arms and even for giving befitting reply to invaders and terrorist,” it said, citing his speech in Hindi.
