my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 4 Nov: Uttarakhand Government today strongly countered what it described as misleading propaganda surrounding the proposed initiatives of the Uttarakhand Investment and Infrastructure Development Board (UIIDB). The government has asserted that its objective is to utilise selected government land parcels productively to generate employment, attract investment and enhance the state’s revenue, and not to sell government properties indiscriminately.
In a statement issued, today, Principal Secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram stated that several misleading claims are being circulated about the proposed asset monetisation and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives, with various land parcels and government properties being linked to the exercise despite having no connection with the actual proposals. He said the government has already clarified its position on several occasions, but it has again become necessary to place the facts before the public to dispel misconceptions.
He explained that land is an important resource for facilitating economic activities, including tourism, hospitality, industry and commercial ventures. An exercise had earlier been undertaken to explore ways of doubling the state’s economic activities and taking Uttarakhand’s economy to the next level. One of the important recommendations emerging from this exercise was to ensure productive and planned utilisation of available government land to attract fresh investments, generate employment and increase revenue.
Sundaram clarified that only a limited number of land parcels have been identified for the purpose and the government was preparing to initiate the bidding process for around six to seven selected parcels over the next two to three months. This, he said, is in sharp contrast to the impression being created that large-scale government land transfers are being planned across the state.
Highlighting the potential of the hospitality sector, he said Uttarakhand had considerable opportunities in religious, nature-based, adventure and wellness tourism. Planned investments in this sector can generate around 7,000 to 8,000 direct jobs and another 10,000 to 15,000 indirect employment opportunities. He added that the proposed economic activities can also potentially generate around Rs 300 crores in monthly revenue for the state through GST and other sources.
He said the benefits would extend beyond hotels and resorts to local farmers, fruit and vegetable growers, taxi operators, transport businesses, handicraft artisans, shopkeepers, homestay operators and other service providers. The initiative would also help trained local youth, many of whom are currently compelled to seek employment outside Uttarakhand or even abroad despite having qualifications in hospitality and hotel management.
Referring to the controversy surrounding various land parcels, Sundaram clarified that the Chaubattia land had been examined for its viability but subsequently dropped from consideration due to the absence of suitable prospects. Similarly, the Dhanolti land parcel has also been excluded after it emerged that the land belonged to the Forest Department.
He further clarified that the HMT land is with SIDCUL, which is pursuing its own plans for the property, and has no connection with the current UIIDB exercise. Likewise, the IDPL land in Rishikesh was forest land and has not yet been transferred to any department of the state government. Therefore, linking either of these properties to the proposed UIIDB initiatives is factually incorrect.
Regarding reports about PWD rest houses being included in the exercise, he said several such properties have neither received Cabinet approval nor been approved by the UIIDB Board. He maintained that no proposal involving government land or assets can proceed without following the prescribed procedure and obtaining approval from the competent authority.
Sundaram also emphasised that the additional revenue generated through such economic activities would strengthen the state’s financial capacity and facilitate investment in infrastructure, roads, drinking water, healthcare, education and social welfare. He asserted that the government’s objective is to make productive use of available resources for the long-term economic benefit of Uttarakhand and that public debate on the issue should be based on verified facts rather than unsubstantiated claims.
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