Critical Areas for Development of Uttarakhand :

In Uttarakhand, the hill region districts (9 out of total 13 districts) are less developed in terms of infrastructure, i.e., electricity, roads and water supply. As a result, majority of the rural population in the hills either survive on subsistence agriculture or migrates to other parts of the country for employment. The state of Uttarakhand is rich in flora and fauna and other natural resources such as solar radiation, hydro and biomass. All these point towards tremendous potential for sustainable growth and development in the state. Thus, sustainable development has been a key element in the state’s growth strategy. Water, agriculture, forestry and energy are important elements of the state’s strategy for future growth. In addition, tourism is also very important for the growth of the state as it is a major (23%) contributor to the economy of Uttarakhand.

The following are the critical areas for development of the state: energy, water, agriculture, tourism and road.

1. Energy  :

The state is facing challenges in the electricity sector. Apart from about 17% un-electrified households in rural areas [Ref: Census of India 2011], the state is also experiencing electricity shortages of about 30% , and  about 107 villages in Uttarakhand are yet to be electrified . In Uttarakhand, the un-electrified villages are generally surrounded by dense forests, steep hills or snow that make grid electrification difficult and unviable Cooking pattern in the state of Uttarakhand reflect large scale usage of biomass as a fuel. About 48.68% of the households in the state are using biomass as a fuel for cooking whereas in rural households the share of biomass is about 63.29% Lighting pattern of the state indicate that electricity is the main energy source being utilized in Uttarakhand households followed by kerosene. The share of kerosene usage is higher in rural households with 14.53% rural households using it for lighting.

2. Water :

Uttarakhand is a hill state with about 85% of its geographic area as hilly and has no appreciable groundwater potential. It is the plain areas of the state (about 15% of the area of the state comprising 5263 km2 ) where groundwater is developed. Though Uttarakhand receives good rainfall during monsoons, due to hilly terrain of the state, water flows to the plain areas. Water scarcity is a major challenge for Uttarakhand and some areas of the state faces acute scarcity of drinking water. There is scarcity of drinking water in 02 villages and 7745 hamlets of the state. As per another report, 11 of the 13 districts in Uttarakhand face regular water shortage, particularly of drinking water. Sources of water in the mountains are usually at considerable distance from habitations and women spend 2-4 hours a day collecting and carrying water to and fro. As per WBI  about 3-4 hours of time and labour is spent in collecting and carrying water by women in the areas facing water scarcity.

3. Agriculture  :

About 70% of the population is engaged in primary sector of Uttarakhand economy i.e. agriculture and allied activities. Large areas under forest cover (65% of total geographical area) and 85% of the state’s land as hilly result in utilization of only 14.02% of total land of the state for cultivation . Small landholding (average landholding is around 0.68 ha in the hills and 1.77 ha in plains) and dependence on rain water for irrigation (about 55% of the cultivated land is rainfed) lead to poor agricultural productivity. The subsistence nature of agriculture leads to low and 28 unstable incomes resulting in poverty and subsequent out-migration of male members from rural areas in search of employment .

4. Tourism  :

Tourism (trade, hotels and restaurants) is one of the major economic activities of the state as it contributes 23% to the economy of Uttarakhand . The state is known for its hill stations, pilgrimage, wild life (sanctuaries and national parks) and adventure sites. Some of its popular tourist destinations are: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Mussoorie, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Lansdowne, Dhanaulti, Chamba, Auli, Pauri, Chopta, Chakrata, Nainital, Kausani, Almora, Ranikhet, Binsar, Mukteshwar, Jageshwar, Corbett Park and Bhimtal. In spite of so many tourist locations, only few locations such are popular among the tourists as others lack infrastructure facilities. For up-gradation of such locations, improvement in local infrastructure facilities (electricity, accommodation, roads and water supply) has been recommended .

5. Roads  :

About 40% of the villages in Uttarakhand are not connected by roads. In the state, 76% roads are maintained by Public Works Department and only 59% of them are all-weather surface roads. In monsoon season, the road connectivity may deteriorate further making rural areas inaccessible. Throughout Uttarakhand, construction works are going on but the rate has been so slow since the last 10 years that it has created chaos for both visitors and locals. Roads in the mountains aren't even in a condition that they can be repaired at some places. The rate of construction has to be increased to improve the roads.