Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Ministers of Union Cabinet, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Hon’ble Chief Ministers and other dignitaries present in this august gathering, Our latest submission has been forwarded by me on the issues that I consider necessary to bring to the kind notice of the Government and to your kind notice. Since there is time constraint and hoping that the written speech would be there in detail and critically examined by the Government, I am raising some important issues pertaining to Uttarakhand so as to bring these issues to your notice and to the notice of the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. 2. At the outset I would like to thank you for convening the 56th meeting of this august forum so that all the States could give their inputs for the formulation of the Twelfth five Year Plan (2012-2017). I would like to compliment the Planning Commission for that; this time, in its pursuit of inclusiveness, it went a step further and invited suggestions from various institutions, voluntary organizations, civil society and people in general for preparing the Approach paper. 3. Uttarakhand has completed over a decade of its existence as a State of the Indian Union and this gives us an opportunity to evaluate our progress and cast our plans for the future. Uttarkhand is a part of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) which plays a strategic role in safeguarding the northern boundary of the country. This region, (IHR), represents one third of the total forest cover of the country and provides vital ecosystem services to the entire Nation. The glaciers and high altitude lakes in this region, numbering over 9000, form a unique reservoir, storing about 12000 cubic km of water. 4. The Chipko Aandolan, started by Smt. Gaura Devi, an illiterate women of a remote village Raini in Chamoli District, which predated the enactment of the Forest Conservation Act, and thus forest conservation is in our grain. We have 12000 Van Panchayats managing sizeable portion of the state forests which is unique in the country. We have 6 National Parks, 6 wildlife sanctuaries, Project Tiger, Project Elephant and other such projects. If I talk about Uttarakhand in particular, it comprises approximately 1.63% of country’s area, but has 4.53% of country’s forest cover. Since 65% forest area is covered by forest, very limited area is left for development activities, thus, thwarting our efforts for development. Delay in getting clearances under Forest Conservation Act results in cost and time over run. Even today about 200 projects are awaiting for clearances. We feel that our proactiveness in the field of forest conservation has cost us dearly. Most of the States carried out their industrialization and urbanization before the enactment of the Forest Conservation Act. I had talked about the concept of inclusive growth at the 54thNDC meeting in 2007. What is happening today, at least in our context, is not inclusive growth. The state renders eco-system services to the whole country to the tune of about Rs. 40,000 crores per annum. There is no mechanism in place for compensating the State for the Eco-services rendered to the rest of the Nation, especially the Green Deficit States with a large carbon footprint. There is a clear need for scientific valuation of ecosystem services rendered by the Uttarkhand forests in order to highlight its contribution to the national economy and quality of life. A national exchange could be created where green credits can be bought by Green Deficit States; or in the alternative, till such mechanisms can be worked out and formalized, our State should be given additional SPA/ACA from the share of the Green Deficit States. Gomukh-Uttarkashi is being declared as eco-sensitive Zone. People fear that this will hamper the economic development of this valley and is being resisted vehemently. The GoI should reconsider about this proposal and SPC/SCA grants should be released in a single installment. 5. The Approach Paper to the 12th Plan prepared by the Planning Commission also talks of access to natural resources. The state has a hydro electric potential to the tune of about 30,000-40,000 MW. The current generation is only about 3394 MW. Many of the natural hydroelectric projects have been banned on one pretext or the other. It is intriguing, that no mention has been made in the Approach Paper about Uttarakhand where there is abundant hydro power generation potential and projects under construction have been abruptly stopped on the pretext of environmental concerns without compensating the loss incurred to the State. We request the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Planning Commission to look into the matter and put an end to this discriminatory approach. The State since its inception has visualized hydro power generation as a driving force for its revenue generation. 6. The state should be given priority in coal block as well as natural gas allocation, considering the ban on various hydro-electric projects. We would also request fast tracking of Project Clearances of hydroelectric project viz., (HEP) Vyasi, Lakhwar, Kishau, Bowala Nand Prayag and Nand Prayag Langasu. 7. The concessional industrial package was prematurely and unjustly reduced first to 2007 in 2004 and then terminated in the year 2010 instead of 2013. The industrial progress upto 2010 was encouraging which was appreciated by the Planning Commission. However, the same has slowed down after the withdrawal of Industrial Package. Thus a gross and blatant injustice to Uttarakhand. 8. Uttarakhand shares international borders with China and Nepal. 5 of the 13 districts of the state are border districts. About 18% of the state’s population and 47% of the area falls under border districts. The condition regarding the physical infrastructure of the State including Roads, Airports and Railways Stations are not much different from those prevalent at the time of Chinese aggression in the year 1962. What is it about Uttarakhand that the Railways do not proceed any further beyond a few kms in the foothills/plains? 9. Looking at the strategic importance of […]
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