Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss key developmental issues concerning the state.
The discussions focused on enhancing cyber security, bolstering disaster management, infrastructure development, and promoting investment opportunities in Uttarakhand.
Amid rising concerns over digital threats, Chief Minister Dhami requested an allocation of ₹63.60 crore for establishing a Cyber Centre of Excellence in Dehradun.
"This center will play an important role in the prevention of digital crimes, expert training, cyber forensics and the development of modern resources," Dhami said during the meeting.
Highlighting the recurring damage to the state’s power infrastructure due to natural disasters, the Chief Minister urged the Union Home Minister to bring power generation, transmission and distribution assets under the compensation framework of the National and State Disaster Response Funds (NDRF/SDRF).
“Keeping in view the geographical disparities of small Himalayan states, power generation, transmission and distribution assets should be brought under the purview of compensation under NDRF and SDRF. This will make the disaster management system of the state more effective and stronger,” Dhami said.
He also pushed for the early approval of the proposal to expand Sitarganj Central Jail at a cost of ₹150.16 crore.
Referring to the recently held Uttarakhand Global Investor Summit 2023, the Chief Minister informed Shah that the state had signed investment MoUs worth over ₹3.5 lakh crore. "Describing this achievement as a matter of pride for the state, the Union Home Minister was informed that celebrating it as a festival, 'Uttarakhand Investment Festival' is proposed to be organized, which will be organized in the industrial area of Pantnagar-Rudrapur."
CM Dhami extended an invitation to Amit Shah to attend the upcoming event as the chief guest.
Union Home Minister Shah assured the Chief Minister of positive action on all the proposals presented. Dhami concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to national progress: “The Uttarakhand government is committed to realising the vision of 'New India' under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The constant guidance and cooperation of the Central Government are providing new energy to the development of the state.”