Replying to Purola MlA Malchand’s question over whether the State Government has any plan to build any cold storage under Purola Assembly constituency, the Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that as our vegetables produces are in great demand in the markets nobody cares to stack them in cold storage. However, if anyone comes with a proposal to build cold storage the State Government give 50 per cent subsidy of the total cost. Currently, the State is building a cold storage with a capacity of 1200 metric tonnes at Bhatwadi block of Uttarkashi. Replying a supplementary question, Rawat said that the State has 16 cold storages- two run by the Government and 14 under private control. But he declined to state how many of these cold storages are presently closed.
Over flyover issue, the Opposition and a Congress MlA Navprabhat joined hands and embarrassed the state government. BJP MlA Harbans Kapur asked why Ballupur and Balliwala flyovers, which are under construction for the past one and half years, are getting delayed. The State Government replied that 79 buildings would be demolished — 46 completely and 33 partially. The State Government has decided to build a two-lane flyover in place of the four-lane one. However, they did not reply how much work is left to be executed by the executing agency. They said that to expedite its execution ACS and chief engineer have been conducting weekly review meeting.
Replying to a non-star question, the Government replied that as per the MoU between EPIl and PWD, the agency was supposed to begin the construction work by July 16, 2013 and was supposed to complete things by October 15, 2014. After DPR preparation EPIl was awarded tender and as per the contract, the agency was supposed to begin construction by December 12, 2013 and to complete by December 11, 2014.
Kapur alleged that the Government has not conducted survey before deciding to build the flyover. The project is being delayed due to land acquisition policy. Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that land acquisition policy has undergone a sea-change and we have to follow the current GO while acquiring lands. The Union government has also changed the policy. This statement sent the Opposition in a tizzy. They started slamming the erastwhile Congress led UPA regime. The CM later clarified his stance.
Replying to a question put by Khatima MlA Pushkar Singh Dhami over how state has benefited the people through solar energy in the year 2014-15 the state government replied that in the mentioned financial year the state has done only repair work. As per the Union government policy, the state and the Centre are bearing expense on the ratio of 10:90. Now, the Union government has closed the scheme we could not proceed. Then the leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt said that each MlA had submitted requisition for 100 lights and deposited Rs two lakh from MlA local area development fund. The state government has not allocated the light so far. Then Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that we submitted a requisition. Meanwhile, the government changed at the centre and now the union government has closed the project. Hence we could not execute.