In what is being viewed as a political master stroke, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat announced that Gairsain would be made the third commissionerate of the state.  The new commissionerate would have the districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Almora and Bageshwar. The state at present has two commisionerates- Garhwal and Kumaon. In a dramatic announcement which reminded one of the declarations of summer capital status to Gairsain last year, immediately after presenting the budget for the year 2021-22, the CM amid thumping of tables by treasury benches said that Gairsain would be the third commissionerate of the state. He also announced that for the summer capital area around Gairsain appointment of town planner would soon be made.

It is pertinent to mention here that exactly a year ago, on March 4 2020, the chief minister had made an announcement for granting summer capital status to Gairsain in Chamoli district. Though the ruling BJP rejoiced at the decision to make Gairsain as third commissionerate of Uttarakhand, the opposition Congress said that the decision is a political one. The deputy leader of the Congress legislature party, Karan Mahra said that there is no infrastructure and other facilities in Gairsain. “It would have been proper if Gairsain was accorded the status of commissionerate after development of facilities. This is a purely political decision aimed at pleasing people ahead of elections,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the CM said that appointment of a commissioner and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) would soon be made in Gairsain.  In the budget speech, the CM said that a food processing unit would be set up in Gairsain and twenty thousand fruit trees would be planted in Bharadisain.