Forest fires: Uttarakhand needs Rs 3000 crore to make recovery, says Harish Rawat

Noting that Uttarakhand had incurred huge losses due to forest fires, drought and prolonged political uncertainty, Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said it needs at least Rs 3000 crore to make a recovery. “There should be no bad blood between the state and the Centre. I want that the Centre should lend a helping hand to the state like it has done in the case of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra,” Rawat said.

He said he was trying to convey his feelings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will have to play the role of an elder brother to bail out Uttarakhand which is reeling under drought like conditions, battling the after effects of a huge forest fire and also struggling hard to make up for the losses due to nearly two months of political uncertainty.

“The state needs at least Rs 3000 crore to overcome the losses suffered by it due to a multiplicity of factors including a drought, forest fires and prolonged political uncertainty,” he said.

The Chief Minister said there was nothing unconstitutional about the Cabinet withdrawing a notification issued during President’s rule recommending CBI investigation into a sting CD on him.