Gairsain to be Uttarakhand's summer capital

Gairsain will be the summer capital of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat announced in the state assembly here on Wednesday. The announcement during the Budget session of the assembly at Gairsain partially fulfils a long-standing demand of the hill people.

Those who spearheaded the movement for statehood to Uttarakhand in the 1990s wanted Gairsain in Chamoli district to be made its permanent capital. But political parties have been non-committal on the issue.

The state assembly mostly meets in Dehradun, but occasionally sessions - like the current Budget session -- are held in Gairsain as well..