UTTARAKHAND

To promote adventure tourism in the listed Trekking Traction Centre (TTC), the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM).

Under the MoU, the experienced trainers from NIM will impart theoretical and practical training to the state’s youth in trekking, hiking and other allied subjects, including the medical aspect. Course completion certificates will also be awarded. The joint committee of both the organisations will monitor the training and recommend their suggestions.

In a major push to the sector, theUttarakhand cabineton Tuesday approved 17,648polyhousesin the Himalayan state.

Eying the Delhi market, these polyhouses would be used to grow vegetables, flowers and fruits. While a farmer would contribute 20% of the fund required, the remaining 80% would be provided by the State Government.

In a major decision to prevent traffic snarls and unplanned constructions at key locations in the hills, the government has decided that anyone constructing a structure within a distance of 50 metre of state highways, national highways and key tourist locations in hill areas will have to take permission from the development authorities. Similarly, in the plains, the distance would be 100 metre from such locations.

Pushkar Singh Dhamiwill be the new chief minister of Uttarakhand.
The MLA from Khatima seat in Udham Singh Nagar district was elected leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting of the party MLAs in Dehradun.

Rawat, a BJP MP from the Garhwal constituency, had to get elected to the the state assembly via bypoll to continue as chief minister. The house currently has two vacant seats- Haldwani and Gangotri.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the government departments to focus on meeting the monthly targets of revenue collection. Chairing a meeting on revenue collections at the State secretariat, the CM said that the departments would be able to achieve their annual targets only when the monthly targets of revenue are achieved. Stressing on further strengthening the online system of revenue collections, the CM said that emphasis should be laid on increasing the from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He suggested that the general public should be encouraged to take bills and directed that an awareness campaign on a massive scale should be launched for it.

The CM asked the officers to work in a planned manner to achieve the revenue targets and said that the departments should focus on use of modern technology and transparency in the system. He said that the departments should work in coordination for increasing the revenue collections. Dhami said that in the areas where expected revenue collections are not taking place, the officers concerned should undertake an in-depth analysis to find out reasons for the failure and find solutions. The CM added that special focus should be done in capital expenses and the departments should focus on recovery of past years. The CM said that a strong online system should be set in place for revenue collection in the mining sector. He suggested that the seasonal streams in the forest areas should be earmarked and channelized. The CM said that the forest department should work in a more organised manner for better utilisation of the forest wealth. He added that the officers should work on innovations for better use of forest wealth. Dhami asked the officers that work on medicinal Plants should be done with the help of Van Panchayats.

The planned Ropeway is a 5.5-kilometer mono-cable ropeway between Purkul Gaon in Dehradun and Library in Mussoorie, with an approximate cost of Rs 285 crore.

It will be capable of transporting 1,000 people per hour in either direction.

This will greatly reduce the traffic flow on the road from Dehradun to Mussoorie.

This will generate 350 direct jobs and more than 1,500 indirect jobs.

It will also be a major tourist destination, resulting in a boost to the tourism .

In a move to spruce up the Health for the upcomingChar Dham yatra, theUttarakhandgovernment on Saturday signed an MoU with IT firm Hewlett Packard Enterprise to openhealthcare kiosksat 50 points along the yatra route.

The move will help install ‘one-stop digital touch-point integrated built-in healthcare kiosks’ with diagnostic equipment which will be set up at the locations where pilgrims usually take a break while undertaking the pilgrimage. The diagnosis of almost all vital tests related to cardiology, neurology and pulmonary would be conducted through these kiosks.

The state tourism department has decided to setupsignboards in seven different languages, including , Telugu, Gujarati and Bengali, as a large number of pilgrims come from southern and western parts of India.
The officials have written a letter to the Garhwal commissioner to take his approval for the project. Following this, sign boards having important information related to theChar Dham Yatrawill be set up.

Apart from Madhya Pradesh, Delhi,Haryanaand Uttar Pradesh, a large number of Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrims come from states like West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Last year, over 45 lakh pilgrims came to Uttarakhand for the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib yatra and this time, too, a high number of devotees is expected.

The state aims to double its GDP over the course of the next five years, with an annual Growth rate of 15%. of around Rs 25,000 crore will be developed in the next five years. Our vision plan envisions achieving ambitious economic objectives through thrust sectors like tourism, transportation, service sector, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, and pharma. Rail projects like Rishikesh-Karnprayag and Tankpur-Bageshwar will give further boost to the states connectivity as will projects like Char Dham all-weather road and the Delhi-Doon elevated road which will help commuters cover the distance from Dehradun to the national capital in around 2.5 hours.

Uttarakhand is one of the fastest growing states in the country, thanks to a massive growth in capital Investment arising from conducive Industrial Policy and generous tax benefits. The government plans to connect all villages in the state to highways and all-weather roads through link roads, and also increase helicopter connectivity. Development works worth over Rs 1,000 crore are going on at Badrinath and Kedarnath. Better connectivity would automatically improve the states economy. Besides, projects like homestays and sale of locally made products are being encouraged to help those in the hills generate more income.