Uttarakhand CM responds to Rishabh Pant's plea for help in buying land in state

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has sought the Uttarakhand government’s help in purchasing land in the hill state to build his first home, saying he wants to shift his base from Delhi to his home state.

Responding to Pant’s request on social media, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the concerned officials to look into the matter in accordance with the rules and extend all possible assistance to the cricketer.

Pant made the request in a late-night social media post on Friday while he was in Sri Lanka with the Indian cricket team. Tagging Dhami, he said he had been trying to find a suitable and sufficiently large piece of land in Uttarakhand where he could build a home and eventually shift his base from Delhi.

“Dear Rishabh, you are the pride of Uttarakhand. Through your magnificent sporting performance and achievements, you have brought glory to ‘Devbhoomi’ on both the national and global stages. Your love for your homeland and your desire to return and contribute here are truly commendable,” Dhami replied.

The Chief Minister added that officials had been instructed to look into Pant’s request.

“Instructions are being issued to the concerned officials regarding the matter you raised. They will contact you shortly to ensure all possible assistance in accordance with the rules,” Dhami said.

Pant made it clear that he was not asking the government to gift him land. Instead, he said he wanted to purchase it from the government at the applicable rates.

“A gift would be lovely for representing our state at the highest level internationally, but if you allow me, I wanna buy it from Government and on their rates; at least I can have my first house built in my own state and our state. Please be helpful. Seriously, I didn’t know how to do it,” Pant wrote.

In another post, Pant explained that although he had been trying to buy land in Uttarakhand for some time, he had not been able to find a property that met his requirements.

“It’s a long time for me, especially being local from Uttarakhand. I have been trying to buy land to shift my base from Delhi to Uttarakhand, and I couldn’t find anything facilitating and big to live here. I love my Uttarakhand. My humble request,” he said.

Pant’s appeal attracted attention because his family already has a house in Roorkee, while the cricketer could ordinarily approach property dealers or other private channels to explore available land. Instead, he chose to directly approach the Chief Minister, seeking guidance on the process for purchasing government land.

Dhami’s response has now set the process in motion, with officials expected to contact Pant and examine what options may be available under existing rules.

Pant, who hails from Uttarakhand, has spent much of his domestic cricket career representing Delhi. Despite building his professional cricket career around Delhi, the left-handed batter has continued to maintain a strong connection with his home state.

His latest request reflects his desire to establish a permanent base in Uttarakhand and build what he describes as his first home in the state where his roots lie.
 

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