NITI Aayog recommends Rs 166.67 cr for Ardh Kumbh

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 1

Uttarakhand is expecting Rs 500 crore from the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog but for the time being it will have to be content with Rs 166.67 crore for carrying out temporary and permanent works for the Ardh Kumb mela in Haridwar next year.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat had regularly raised the issue with the Central government for the timely release of funds for carrying out construction works for the mela.

Yesterday, the plan coordination and management division of the NITI Aayog conveyed to the Uttarakhand Ministry of Finance that it had recommended additional central assistance of Rs 166.67 crore for Ardh Kumbh in Haridwar for the current financial year.

“The NITI Aayog has recommended the release of Rs 166.67 crore for Ardh Kumbh slated to be held during January to March 2016. The state Finance Department will draw the funds by April this year. Six states will receive assistance for holding mega events of national and international importance,” said Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Sharma.

Further, the state Urban Development Department, the nodal agency for disbursement of funds for the Ardh Kumbh, had drawn Rs 161 crore from the Public Ledger Account (PLA), the underutilised amount, deposited during the 2010 Ardh Kumbh mela.

So far, Rs 41.76 crore against an estimated cost of Rs 133.83 crore has been released to the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Department of Irrigation for carrying out 16 permanent and temporary construction works in Haridwar.