Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will chair the state Cabinet’s first meeting in Haridwar, with a proposed thank-you resolution on support from the central government among the key items expected to be discussed.

The Cabinet may also decide the date and venue of the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly session. Officials are expected to present details of development work carried out in the state since 2014, along with figures on funds received from the Centre.

The review will include data related to basic services, including electricity, water, toilets and roads. The meeting is therefore expected to combine policy decisions with an account of infrastructure and development work across the state.

Local demands before the meeting

Congress MLA Anupama Rawat has raised 2 demands ahead of the Cabinet meeting. She has sought the start of construction on a bridge over the Ravासन river at Lalढांग and a government order increasing the honorarium of bhojanmatas to ₹5,000.

Rawat, who represents Haridwar Rural and is the daughter of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, discussed the bhojanmatas’ concerns at a meeting on Sunday. She warned that she would begin an indefinite hunger strike if the demands were not met during the Cabinet meeting.

Rawat said the absence of a bridge forces people to cross the river and claimed that several people have lost their lives while doing so. She also alleged that the government was holding meetings during an election year without taking concrete decisions on public problems. These are her claims and have not been independently established in the available material.

Cabinet meetings outside Dehradun

The Haridwar meeting comes 8 days after the Dhami government held a Cabinet meeting at the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation complex in Banbasa, Champawat district, on 4 October. It was the first Cabinet meeting of the Dhami government to be held in Champawat.

After the Banbasa meeting, the Chief Minister said Cabinet meetings would also be organised in other districts. The stated purpose was to discuss local issues and development requirements closer to the communities affected by them.

The Banbasa meeting approved 24 proposals. They included the Chief Minister’s Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme, which has a proposed allocation of ₹200 crore over 5 years for young people.

Other approved measures included the release of ₹66.29 crore for the expansion of Pantnagar Airport, changes to the standards for establishing private universities and revised honorariums for resident doctors.

The Haridwar meeting will indicate whether the government takes decisions on the next Assembly session and how it responds to the development review and demands raised by the local MLA.

Conclusion

The first Cabinet meeting in Haridwar is expected to focus on central support, development figures, the next Assembly session and local demands concerning the Lalढांग bridge and bhojanmatas’ honorarium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who will chair the Cabinet meeting in Haridwar?

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will chair the meeting.

Q. What resolution may be considered?

The Cabinet may consider a thank-you resolution on support provided by the central government.

Q. What Assembly-related decision may be taken?

The Cabinet may decide the date and venue of the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly session.

Q. What development information will be presented?

Officials are expected to present figures on development work since 2014 and funds received from the Centre, including data on electricity, water, toilets and roads.

Q. What demands has Anupama Rawat raised?

She has sought construction of a bridge over the Ravासन river at Lalढांग and an order raising bhojanmatas’ honorarium to ₹5,000.

Q. What warning did Anupama Rawat issue?

She warned that she would begin an indefinite hunger strike if her demands were not met during the Cabinet meeting.

Q. When and where was the previous Cabinet meeting held?

The previous meeting was held on 4 October at the NHPC complex in Banbasa, Champawat district.

Q. How many proposals were approved at Banbasa?

The Banbasa meeting approved 24 proposals, including a ₹200 crore skill-enhancement scheme over 5 years and ₹66.29 crore for Pantnagar Airport expansion.