Three-day-long Mahakavi Kalidas Sammelan was inaugurated at Kaviltha by the Chief Minister Harish Rawat in the Kalimath area of Rudraprayag district on Sunday.
Highlighting the importance of Kalimath, CM said that Kalidas was a great scholar and through scriptures (granth) he made his own identity in nation and beyond. To promote poets and those who have been researching on poetry, the state government would give some financial help to them. CM appealed the people to convert the winter yatra in to a public yatra, exhorting them to visit the various temples and places of religious significance to help the Government succeed in its efforts to promote tourism and pilgrimage as well.
State Government asked the local people to cultivate Mandua, Jhangora, Maarchha, Gehat and other cash crops on their land. Rawat said, “If we really want to check migration from the mountains then we will have to revive our agriculture especially in the mountainous regions apart from which we will also have to lay emphasis on our traditional handicraft.” He assured that he would develop Kalimath, Madmaheshwar and Tungnath on the pattern of Kedarnath. He further said that for the welfare of people state government has launched several schemes and appealed them to secure their benefit from these schemes. While inspecting the road of Kalimath and dilapidated status of bridge, CM asked the Rudraprayag DM Dr Raghav langer to take stringent action against the contractor, who constructed the bridges and road.
He also announced upgradation of high school Kalimath to Intermediate level, while a survey will be conducted in the area to facilitate resolution of the water woes. Rawat announced that an outline for construction of the proposed Kalidas Sanskrit Research Centre would also be drafted. Organisation of Sanskrit research award scheme, grant for the Spring (Chaitra) Navratri fair in Kalimath and computerisation in all cooperative banks in the Kalimath region were the other announcements made by the CM.
Kedarnath MlA Shailarani Rawat said that Kaviltha is brith place of great poet Kalidas. She demanded setting up of a library in Kalimath and installation of solar streetlights around the religious places.