New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 23 projects worth over Rs 17500 crore in Uttarakhand today.

The Lakhwar Multipurpose Project, first conceived in 1976, is a 300 MW project involving construction of a 204-metre concrete dam with a 40-km-long reservoir on the Yamuna near Lohari village in Dehradun. The three dams together envisage storage that will be useful for power generation and provide water to Delhi in non-monsoon months.

Construction of AIIMS Rishikesh satellite centre at Udham Singh Nagar and Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College at Pithoragarh were also launched. These satellite centres would provide world-class medical facilities in all parts of the country. It will help to strengthen the medical infrastructure in the state.

Aroma Park at Kashipur and Plastic Industrial Park at Sitarganj and multiple other initiatives in housing, sanitation and drinking water supply across the state were also launched.

Modern infrastructure growing in Uttarakhand, Char Dham project, new rail routes being built, will make this decade the decade of Uttarakhand said Modi. He also referred to strides made by Uttrakhand in the fields of hydro power, Industry, tourism, natural agriculture and connectivity.

"With the construction of toilets, better sewerage system and modern water treatment facilities, the number of dirty drains falling into the Ganges is reducing rapidly. Similarly, Naintal Jheel is also being attended to" said the PM. The Central Government has also set up India's largest optical telescope at Devasthal in Nainital. This has not only given a new facility to the scientists of the country and abroad, but this area has also got a new identity.

Road sector projects worth Rs 8700 crore were also inaugurated. These road projects would improve connectivity in remote, rural and border areas.

Source : PIB