Gairsain/Chamoli, November 9
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday participated in a programme organised at the Assembly Complex in Bhararisain (Gairsain), Chamoli district, on the occasion of the 26th Uttarakhand State Foundation Day. Extending greetings to the people of the state, the Chief Minister paid tribute to the struggle, sacrifices, and contributions of the statehood movement activists. He said that building a strong, prosperous, and self-reliant Uttarakhand in accordance with their dreams remains the government’s highest priority.
The Chief Minister also paid homage to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in defence of the nation and expressed condolences to families who lost their loved ones in natural disasters. He paid tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose efforts paved the way for the creation of the state.
Dhami said that Uttarakhand has achieved significant milestones during its 26-year development journey. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is working with the resolve to make the third decade of the 21st century Uttarakhand’s decade. He said that projects such as the Char Dham Road Project, Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project, and the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib Ropeway Projects will enhance connectivity and pilgrimage tourism in the state. Under the Vibrant Village Programme, nearly 200 projects are being implemented in 51 border villages.
Highlighting improvements in healthcare, the Chief Minister said that efforts are underway to establish a Cancer Institute in Haldwani and an AIIMS satellite centre in Kichha. Under the Atal Ayushman Yojana, more than 6.3 million cards have been issued. Virtual classrooms have been introduced in nearly 1,300 schools, while 226 institutions have been developed as PM Shri Schools.
Dhami said that strict anti-cheating legislation has ensured transparency in recruitment processes. Over 35,000 youth have been provided government jobs during the last five years. Women have been granted 30 per cent reservation in government jobs and 33 per cent reservation in cooperative management committees. More than three lakh women in the state have already become Lakhpati Didis.
The Chief Minister further stated that the ex-gratia amount for dependents of martyred soldiers has been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. Construction of the Sainya Dham is nearly complete. Provisions have also been made for reservation in designated uniformed services posts for Agniveers and 10 per cent horizontal reservation for statehood activists and their dependents. He added that Uttarakhand athletes brought laurels to the state by winning 103 medals at the 38th National Games.
Referring to the state’s economic progress, Dhami said that Uttarakhand’s economy has grown from approximately ₹2.55 lakh crore in 2022 to nearly ₹3.82 lakh crore, while the state budget has crossed ₹1.11 lakh crore. He noted that Uttarakhand secured the top position in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals Index 2023-24. Decisions such as the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), a stringent land law, and the anti-cheating law have been taken in the larger public interest.
During the programme, the Chief Minister honoured statehood movement activists and family members of renowned folk singer Late Gopal Babu Goswami by presenting them with shawls. He inspected the ceremonial parade and took the salute. The parade was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Trivendra Singh Rana and included contingents from the ITBP, Uttarakhand Police, Women Home Guards, Women Police, and NCC.
The Chief Minister also honoured individuals for outstanding contributions in agriculture, horticulture, self-employment, and sports, along with beneficiaries of various welfare schemes. Financial assistance was provided to Jawahar Singh, Geeta Devi, Vandana Devi, Mohan Singh, and Anand Singh in the agriculture and horticulture sectors. Under the Mission Kiwi initiative, Anand Singh and Gambhir Singh received cheques of ₹2.10 lakh each, while Dayal Singh was awarded ₹4.20 lakh. Jagdish Singh received ₹2 lakh for the construction of a mushroom hut.
Under schemes of the Industries Department, Yogendra Singh received a subsidy of ₹1 lakh, Trilok Singh ₹1,48,611, Rajeshwar Singh ₹2,07,500, and Himanshu Singh ₹1.50 lakh. Self-help groups were provided assistance of ₹4 lakh each for establishing farm machinery banks. Farmers also received grants for power weeders, along with Kisan Bhushan and Kisan Shri awards. Beneficiaries of the Mahalaxmi Kit, Lakhpati Didi, and Atal Awas schemes were also felicitated.
