Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna met Union law Minister Kapil Sibal at his residence and Union Railway Minister Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge at Rail Bhawan on Tuesday.
After the meeting, the law Minister Kapil Sibal said that both the Uttarakhand and Union Governments are committed to the strong lokpal and lokayukta bills. He had held a detailed meeting on the issue of the lokayukta with the Uttarakhand CM, Vijay Bahuguna. He would not walk in the direction shown by any other political party, but in the direction of transparency.
Kapil Sibal congratulated the Chief Minister for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation work done after the State was hit by natural disaster. He said that the manner in which the State Government had extended relief to the affected people despite challenging conditions was commendable. Bahuguna said that the people of the State had already rejected the lokayukta Act brought by the previous Government.
Their Government would establish an effective, transparent and strong lokayukta. The acts of all others States were being studied for the same. He further said that on November 7, the party MlAs, ministers and Members of Parliament along with the members of supporting parties would hold detailed discussions and take a decision on the issue after that.
Beside it, CM also met the Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge at the Rail Bhawan and asked him to grant approval for the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line alignment as early as possible. The railway line alignment survey proposed by the Railway Development Corporation had been completed and submitted to the Railway Ministry for approval.
Bahuguna said that only after the Railway Ministry agreed could the forest department start providing the NOC and land requisition work for the project. He said that it was a project of national importance, thus the Railways must give highest importance to it. The CM also discussed the Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line and other important railway projects for the State.
The Railway Minister has assured the CM he would give positive thought to the proposed projects.