New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday approved Rs 100 crore as special assistance for the development of tourism in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh and released the first instalment of Rs 66 crore.

The Union finance ministry approved the amount under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2024-25 for various tourism projects in the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh, an official statement said.

Of the total, Rs 66 crore has been released as first instalment, it added.

The second instalment of Rs 34 crore will be released after 75 per cent of the first phase assistance is spent.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had been trying to get the financial package for a long time and also spoke to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about it.

Dhami later expressed his gratitude to the central government for the assistance.

 

(With Inputs from PTI)