Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Jun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has extended greetings and best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of the country on the completion of twelve continuous years of Modi’s tenure at the Centre. Dhami said that under the Prime Minister’s leadership, the dream of a strong, capable and self‑respecting India is becoming a reality, while Devbhoomi Uttarakhand too is witnessing a new dawn of development.
In his message issued on the occasion, Dhami noted that India is progressing rapidly under Modi’s guidance. He also mentioned achievements such as the construction of four crore pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, free ration every month for 81 crore people, free treatment for 60 crore citizens under Ayushman Bharat, and guarantee‑free Mudra loans worth Rs 40 lakh crores. He pointed out that until independence and for seven decades thereafter only 3.2 crore households had tap water supply, whereas the figure has now risen more than four times to 16 crores. In 2014, only five cities had metro rail, now 26 cities are connected and the network has expanded from 248 kilometres to 1155 kilometres.
Dhami asserted that India is today leading the world in many fields. He cited that 56 per cent of global digital transactions take place in India alone. Once dependent on foreign countries for its defence needs, India has now reached new heights in defence production and exports. From space exploration to artificial intelligence (AI), from start‑ups to semiconductor manufacturing, India is writing new chapters of self‑reliance. He added that Modi fulfilled his commitment to women’s empowerment by granting permanent commission to women in the armed forces, and during Operation Sindoor, India’s women power proved decisive against the enemy. He recalled that the country once suffered from externally sponsored terrorism and internal Naxal violence, but today India has decisively controlled Naxalism and has the courage to strike terrorist structures across the border.
The CM also stressed that Uttarakhand has emerged as the biggest beneficiary under Modi’s tenure as PM. He said the PM’s period of office will be written in golden letters for the state. With the Centre’s support, development projects worth over Rs 2 lakh crores are underway in Uttarakhand. The Char Dham all‑weather road project is progressing rapidly, while the Delhi–Dehradun expressway built at a cost of Rs 13,000 crores has reduced both distance and travel time between the two cities. He mentioned ongoing works on important projects such as Sitarganj–Tanakpur, Paonta Sahib–Dehradun, Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh, Kathgodam–Lalkuan–Haldwani bypass and Rudrapur bypass.
Dhami said the long‑cherished dream of rail connectivity is close to fulfilment. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag rail project is moving swiftly towards completion, and the Centre has approved the Tanakpur–Bageshwar rail line. Eleven railway stations in the state are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme. He added that air services have also been strengthened, with expansion of Jolly Grant, Pantnagar and Pithoragarh airports. Under the UDAN scheme, 18 heliports are being developed, of which 12 are already operational. The number of heliports has risen from two in 2022 to seven today, while helipads have nearly doubled to 118.
The CM also reminded that spiritual tourism in the state is also being given a new identity. With the Centre’s support, ropeway projects under the Parvatmala scheme are expanding the network in Uttarakhand. Ropeways from Gaurikund to Kedarnath and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib will give a new direction to tourism and pilgrimage. Alongside the Char Dhams, ancient temples of Uttarakhand are also being restored and redeveloped, with Kedarnath and Badrinath redevelopment projects and the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission as notable examples. He also mentioned that multipurpose projects at Jamrani, Song and Lakhwar are underway, which will provide long‑term benefits in irrigation, drinking water and energy. Work has begun on the AIIMS satellite centre at Kichha, while AIIMS Rishikesh has launched the country’s first helicopter ambulance service, an innovative step in emergency healthcare.
Dhami asserted that India has entered the Amrit Kaal of development and every citizen of Uttarakhand must actively participate in this transformative journey. Only then, under the visionary leadership of Modi, will India by 2047 become a developed, self‑reliant nation guiding the world.
