my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 4 Nov: Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal today strongly rejected the allegations made by the Congress regarding land allotted through the Uttarakhand Investment and Infrastructure Development Board (UIIDB), describing them as misleading and baseless. He asserted that the ownership of all the land earmarked for investment projects would remain 100 per cent with the state government and accused the Congress of attempting to create confusion and undermine the state’s development and investment climate for political reasons.
Responding to criticism from Congress leaders, Uniyal clarified that land allotted through UIIDB is not being sold or privatised. He said the government would retain complete ownership, regulatory control and reversion rights over such land, with all assets reverting to the state after the prescribed period. According to him, private entities are being granted only limited rights for the development and operation of approved projects, subject to strict conditions, phased development commitments, investment obligations and environmental safeguards.
He claimed that the initiative is likely to attract investments of Rs 1,500 crores to Rs 2,000 crores in the hospitality sector alone, generating more than 5,000 direct and over 10,000 indirect employment opportunities for local youth. He further said that the state could earn an additional Rs 200 crores to Rs 250 crores in revenue while also boosting tourism, local procurement and tax collections.
Uniyal said the state government’s approach is based on the asset monetisation model already adopted by agencies such as the National Highways Authority of India and the Rail Land Development Authority. He maintained that asset monetisation is neither privatisation nor the sale of public assets, but a structured mechanism for utilising the economic potential of government properties in the larger public interest.
The minister also dismissed Congress allegations regarding the sale of properties such as HMT, IDPL, PWD rest houses and Horticulture Department orchards, stating that all these assets continue to remain with their respective departments. He added that several land parcels identified for hospitality and development projects are still at the master-planning or pre-feasibility stage.
Accusing the Congress of pursuing divisive and anti-development politics, Uniyal said that Congress is seeking to obstruct investment and employment generation in the state. He maintained that Uttarakhand requires policies that create opportunities rather than opposition for its own sake, particularly at a time when the state is grappling with migration and limited employment prospects. He also claimed that the government has freed nearly 13,000 acres of government land from encroachment and is working towards better land management through digitisation of land records.
Appealing to the public to remain vigilant against what he termed misinformation, Uniyal said the BJP government remains committed to protecting state interests while ensuring economic growth, employment generation and a better future for Uttarakhand’s youth.
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