Chief minister Harish Rawat has directed officials of the Urban Development department to mark a space in each district for developing a smart city. Reviewing works of the department late on Monday night, the CM asked officials to focus on developing infrastructural facilities in city areas.
Reviewing the work of the Health Department, the CM said that there should be at least one hospital in each district with doctors and necessary facilities. One women's hospital with all modern facilities should be established in Garhwal and Kumaon regions while the 104 medical service should be started as a pilot project in 13 selected blocks, directed Rawat.
The CM directed the Urban Development department officials to select sites and draft plans for developing new towns in districts other than Dehradun. The master plan for such new towns should be drafted now to prevent haphazard settlement of the public. Special stress should be laid on protection of natural resources for which urbanisation should be facilitated along with environmental protection. Urban local bodies should undertake campaigns to save the river banks from encroachment.
Trees should be planted on river banks. Calling for increasing the pace of execution of works under the Rajiv Awas Yojana, the CM stressed that the work quality should be maintained.
He further said that the 74th Amendment should be implemented and for this 18 subjects should be transferred to the urban local bodies. Rawat directed the Urban Development and Housing departments to coordinate and mark government lands in the urban areas of the State and prepare a report.
Reviewing the the works of the Health Department, the CM said that hospitals and health centres have been established to ensure health facilities to all citizens, which is a top priority for the State. There is need for improving the quality of health services and expanding them. Money will be provided for mobile medical treatment vehicles from the chief minister's relief fund. Funds will also be provided for selected hospitals and health centres in disaster affected areas.
Agreements should be signed and buildings should be rented for new health centres as far as possible, said the CM, while adding that women patients are unable to receive proper treatment due to shortage of properly equipped hospitals for women.