Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed today between the Oil and Gas PSUs-IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL, ONGC and GAIL, and Shri BadrinathUtthan Charitable Trust for Construction and Redevelopment of Badrinath Dham as a Spiritual Smart hill Town. The MoUs were signed in the august presence of the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Tirath Singh Rawat, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan, Tourism Minister of Uttarakhand Satpal Maharaj, Secretary, MoPNG Tarun Kapoor, Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand Shri Om Prakash, and senior officers of the MoPNG, Uttarakhand Government and Oil & Gas PSUs.
As per the MoUs, the Oil & Gas PSUs will be contributing Rs. 99.60 crore in the first phase of the developmental activities, including river embankment work, building all-terrain vehicular path, building bridges, beautifying existing bridges, establishing gurukul facilities with accommodation, creating toilet and drinking water facilities, installing streetlights, mural paintings etc.
Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that Char Dham is close to millions of Indians, due to spiritual, religious and cultural reasons. The Oil and Gas PSUs will not only contribute to the development work of the Badrinath but are also part of the development of Kedarnath, Uttarkashi, Yamunotri and Gangotri. He said “Today’s event is a significant milestone in the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing Badrinath shrine as a mini smart and spiritual city, without compromising on the religious sanctity and mythological importance of the region.”
Lauding the efforts of Oil & Gas PSUs in developing the facilities, Pradhan said, “I am glad that Oil and Gas PSUs of this nation have come forward to realise the vision of developing BadrinathDham into a Smart Spiritual Town. Tourism is one of the key industries, which is playing a critical role in the development of the state. Development of the sites like Badrinath would also help in attracting more tourists, which in turn would strengthen the economy of the state.”
Addressing the occasion, Tirath Singh Rawat said, “I congratulate Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Oil & Gas PSUs for extending their supports for this noble initiative. Shri Badrinath Dham has a special place in the hearts of the people of this country. It is considered to be one of the most sacred places in our country, and developmental activities are much needed to provide the best of facilities to the pilgrims from across the country. With the concerted efforts of both Uttarakhand Govt. and Oil & Gas PSUs, we are hopeful that the rejuvenation work of Shri Badrinath Dham will be completed within a span of three-year time.”
