Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand has approved a multi-crore package of infrastructure and welfare expenditures spanning road connectivity, fire safety, health insurance payments, and religious site beautification across several districts of the state. The approvals, announced on Sunday, 12 July 2026, cover projects in Nainital, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Pauri Garhwal, Chamoli, and Dehradun districts.

What Was Approved

The Chief Minister's Office listed a series of financial sanctions cutting across departments. A sum of ₹3.68 crore was approved for the construction of an Automated Driving Test Track in Ramnagar, Nainital, a facility aimed at standardising driving licence assessments. Separately, ₹2.73 crore was sanctioned for the construction of a Sewage Treatment Plant (150 KLD) and site development at the Police Communication Training Centre, Dhauranakhas, Dehradun.

A significant allocation of ₹9.45 crore was approved for establishing a Fire Station in the Bahadrabad Industrial Area, addressing long-standing fire safety concerns in one of the state's key industrial corridors. The Rudraprayag Treasury non-residential building is also set to receive ₹38.06 lakh for repair, painting, tiling, panelling, and electrification work.

Pilgrim Routes and Connectivity

Pilgrimage infrastructure received notable attention. ₹5.00 crore was sanctioned for street lighting along the Kakarali Tanakpur to Maa Purnagiri Dham yatra route in Champawat assembly constituency, with a first instalment of ₹2.00 crore released. Additionally, ₹19.68 lakh was approved for interlocking tile work at Selagad village near Maa Purnagiri Dham.

In Pauri Garhwal's Yamkeshwar constituency, ₹85.74 lakh was sanctioned — first instalment ₹51.44 lakh — to develop the road stretch from Janaki Pul to Chaurasi Kutia as a 'Beatles Street', a tourism-oriented project referencing the Beatles' historic 1968 visit to the region. A pedestrian path from Gram Uchchhaidi Nanda Mandir to Kholi Ban in Dharchula, Pithoragarh, received ₹81.43 lakh (first instalment ₹48.85 lakh).

Health, Education and Rural Infrastructure

The largest single allocation in the package was ₹75 crore from the state budget for the smooth operation of the Golden Card scheme under the State Health Authority, intended to clear pending liabilities and ensure continuity of cashless healthcare for beneficiaries. The Golden Card is Uttarakhand's implementation of the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY health insurance programme.

Education received a share too: ₹99.44 lakh was approved for an Open Gym at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Latoli in Champawat, with a first instalment of ₹59.66 lakh. For rural connectivity, the Rural Construction Department received approval for a first instalment of ₹137.60 lakh covering multiple roads and trace bridges under state plan, CM announcement, and NABARD schemes. This includes a 30-metre span steel truss pedestrian bridge on the Sated (Khaasan) river near Bansari village, Pauri Garhwal (first instalment ₹47.21 lakh) and a pedestrian culvert in an SC settlement in Gokhmalla, Chamoli (first instalment ₹47.03 lakh).

What's Next

Funds have been released in first instalments for most projects, meaning physical work can begin while subsequent tranches are tied to utilisation certificates and progress reports. The state assembly's next session may see supplementary demands if project costs escalate. The ₹75 crore Golden Card release will be closely watched by healthcare providers awaiting payment for services already rendered to beneficiaries. Completion of the Bahadrabad Fire Station and the Ramnagar Automated Driving Test Track will be key milestones for urban and transport infrastructure in the Kumaon belt.