Almora, May 27
The State-Level SDG Achievers Award ceremony was held at the Uday Shankar Dance and Music Academy in Almora, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attending as the chief guest. This year, 32 organizations, individuals, and groups were honored for their innovative and sustainable initiatives. Additionally, six districts were awarded for securing the top three positions in the annual district-level SDG rankings. The Chief Minister congratulated the awardees and emphasized the collective commitment to making Uttarakhand the leading state in sustainable development.
In his address, CM Dhami highlighted that the event was a tribute to those who have contributed exemplary work in innovation, social welfare, and positive change. He praised the awardees for proving that extraordinary achievements can be accomplished even with limited resources. He reiterated that balanced development is possible only when ecology and economy progress together, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
CM noted that Uttarakhand, once ranked 10th in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index, now holds the first position nationwide. While acknowledging areas that still need improvement, he assured that the government is working swiftly on governance, welfare, infrastructure, and essential services. He pointed out that Uttarakhand’s GDP has grown by 7.23%, per capita income has risen by 4.1%, and unemployment has dropped by 4.4%, outperforming the national average.
The Chief Minister also underlined the progress in industries, startups, highways, green energy, and helicopter services, which have encouraged reverse migration, with people returning to their native villages to pursue local employment and entrepreneurship.
Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta praised the achievement, attributing Uttarakhand’s top SDG ranking to the vision of Prime Minister Modi and CM Dhami. Principal Secretary (Planning) and CEO of the Center for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG), Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, elaborated on the SDG concept and detailed the efforts that led to Uttarakhand’s success. District Magistrate Anshul Singh welcomed participants and reaffirmed the commitment to holistic district development.
In the district-level SDG rankings, Rudraprayag secured first place, followed by Uttarkashi and Nainital in second, and Bageshwar, Chamoli, and Tehri in third.
The ceremony was attended by District Panchayat Chairperson Hema Gaida, MLA Dr. Pramod Nainwal, State Ministers Ganga Bisht and Govind Pilkhwal, Migration Commission member Anil Singh Sahi, BJP District President Mahesh Nayal, Almora Mayor Ajay Verma, senior officials from CPPGG, police, and administration, along with public representatives and citizens.
