Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled and laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth about Rs 4200 crore in sectors including rural development, road, power, irrigation, drinking water, horticulture, education, health, and disaster management, among others in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand today.

The projects that were inaugurated by the Prime Minister include 76 rural roads and 25 bridges built in rural areas under PMGSY; 15 buildings of BDO offices in 9 districts; upgradation of three roads built under central road fund viz Kausani Bageshwar Road, Dhari-Dauba-Giricheena road and Nagala-Kiccha road.

Among the projects inaugurated today, the upgradation of two roads on National Highways viz Almora Petshal - Panuwanaula - Danya (NH 309B) and Tanakpur - Chalthi (NH 125) are included.

Further, the new projects that will be undertaken also encompass three projects related to drinking water viz 38 Pumping drinking water schemes,  419 Gravity based water supply schemes and three tube wells based water supply schemes;  Tharkot artificial lake in Pithoragarh; 132 KV Pithoragarh-Lohaghat (Champawat) Power Transmission Line.

As many as 39 bridges across Uttarakhand and Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) building in Dehradun, built under the World Bank-funded Uttrakhand Disaster Recovery Project, are also part of the new endeavors.

The foundation stones laid for the new projects include a scheme for the construction of 21,398 poly-houses, which will help in increasing the production of flowers and vegetables and improving their quality; a scheme for cultivation of high-density intensive apple orchards; five projects for NH road upgradation.

The new projects also include multiple steps for disaster preparedness and resilience in the state viz construction of bridges, upgradation of State Emergency Operation Center in Dehradun, steps for prevention of landslide in  Balianala, Nainital and improvement in other infrastructure related to fire, health and forest; development of hostels and computer labs in 20 model degree college across the state.

In order to give a boost to the health facilities in the state, the PM also inaugurated health projects, including a 100-bed sub-district hospital at Someshwar, Almora; 50-bed Hospital block in Champawat.

The state’s sports facilities will also be bolstered with an Astroturf Hockey Ground at Haldwani Stadium, Nainital; Velodrome Stadium at Rudrapur.

He also launched the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission Scheme for infrastructure development in temples including Jageshwar Dham (Almora), Haat Kalika (Pithoragarh) and Naina Devi (Nainital) temples.