Dehradun: In a new initiative, the government of Uttarakhand is going to take steps to revive the villages that have become deserted due to migration. As part of a pilot project, some of these villages will be adopted and developed into homestay cum hotel destinations.
According to Tourism and Panchayati Raj Minister Satpal Maharaj, several proposals have been received, and the consent of the migrants is being carefully considered. The adopted villages will see their buildings renovated in a traditional hill style, with modern amenities incorporated inside.
There are 1726 ghost villages in the state
The pain of migration from villages can be understood from the fact that till now 1726 villages in the state have become completely deserted due to reasons like lack of education, health, livelihood, terror of wild animals, lack of basic facilities including roads. According to the report of the Migration Prevention Commission, 24 of these villages were vacated between 2018 and 2022. Not only this, there are a considerable number of villages in which the population is very less. Although the government is making efforts to stop migration, there is still a long way to go. Meanwhile, the government has also decided to bring back the beauty of the deserted villages.
Some people have been motivated to adopt deserted villages
Tourism and Panchayati Raj Minister Satpal Maharaj mentioned that some individuals have been motivated to adopt deserted villages. The goal is to initially adopt those villages that offer scenic views of the Himalayas and other picturesque locations. The buildings in these villages will be renovated in the traditional Pahari style and developed into homestay cum hotels.
Plan to adopt such villages under the pilot project
According to the tourism minister, the initial phase of the pilot project aims to adopt certain villages. These villages will be developed with a focus on tourism, reviving the folk life of the hills. The minister mentioned that all aspects, including obtaining consent from the concerned migrants and exploring land lease or other options, are being studied. Efforts are being made to implement this plan on the ground as soon as possible.
District wise number of deserted villages
Many districts in Uttarakhand have a significant number of deserted villages. Pauri district has the highest number with 519 vacant villages. Other districts include Almora with 163 deserted villages, Bageshwar with 144, Tehri with 154, Haridwar with 122, and Champawat with 114. Chamoli has 107 vacant villages, Pithoragarh 101, Rudraprayag 93, and Uttarkashi 83. Additionally, 66 villages in Nainital, 33 in Udham Singh Nagar, and 27 in Dehradun are also lying vacant.
