Uttarakhand will soon get four new districts.
Chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Monday announced the creation of four more districts and plans to enact a law against corruption in the hill state. A bill to this effect would shortly be brought in the Vidhan Sabha.
Addressing people after unfurling the tricolour in Dehra Dun, the chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that his government has decided to create four new districts — Kotdwar, Yamunotri, Didihat and Ranikhet — to provide better and more effective administration to the people living in these areas.
Mr Nishank said small administrative units were good in view of development and accessibility by people living in the areas and Uttarakhand was formed with the same purpose in 2000.
With this new announcement, the total number of districts in Uttarakhand would go up to 17 from the existing 13.
According to the government spokesman, Kotdwar would be carved out from Pauri district and Yamunotri from Uttarkashi, Didihat would be created from Pithoragarh and Ranikhet from Almora district.
The chief minister also announced an increase in the monthly pension of freedom fighters to `11,100 from the existing `6,000. He said Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to give such a big amount as monthly pension to freedom fighters.
The chief minister also announced to provide a health insurance cover under the Atal Health Insurance Scheme to all one crore citizens of the hill state.