(Tribune)
With a final resolution on transfer of assets still eluding Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, senior officers of both states met here on Saturday and agreed to hold another level of talks in Lucknow. However, during the talks between the government officials of the two states, Uttar Pradesh raked up the issue of allocation of land in Badrinath for building a rest house for their pilgrims. Government officials from Uttarakhand said the demand would be considered if there was appropriate land. On behalf of Uttar Pradesh, the talks were led by Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Rajive Singh and Uttarakhand was led by Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh.
Later while speaking with mediapersons, both maintained that agreement was reached on several contentious issues. “We need to hold more talks before reaching on the final resolution,” said Utpal Kumar Singh, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary. Since 2000, agreements were reached on a very few issues, but after the BJP-led Yogi government came to power in Uttar Pradesh and BJP-led TS Rawat government in Uttarakhand, expectations rose that the issues would be finally resolved.
