Development Conclave deliberates on roadmap for Viksit Uttarakhand@2047
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 22 Sep: A one-day Uttarakhand Development Conclave: ‘Sankalp – Viksit Uttarakhand@2047’ was organised at Hotel Ramada on Chakrata Road here on Tuesday, bringing together experts, senior officials and representatives from various sectors to deliberate on a long-term roadmap for inclusive, sustainable, resilient and prosperous development of the State.
The conclave was organised by the Uttarakhand Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG) and SRADSTA, with active participation from the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), Uttarakhand Tourism, Haridwar-Roorkee Development Authority (HRDA), BRIDCUL and ITDA. The deliberations are expected to contribute to the preparation of a vision document for the development of Uttarakhand in line with the national goal of a developed India by 2047.
Welcoming former Defence Secretary to the Government of India, Yogendra Narayan, former Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand N Ravishankar, retired IAS officer Sanjeev Chopra and senior government officials, Principal Secretary Planning Dr R Meenakshi Sundaram said that the vision for a developed Uttarakhand would have to take into account the State’s present status, capabilities, challenges and future priorities.
He said although there is no universally accepted definition of a developed State, it is generally understood to mean higher average income, a stronger economy and a better quality of life for citizens. Sundaram added that Uttarakhand would have to make effective use of its demographic dividend, increase the contribution of the primary sector to the State’s GSDP, provide high-quality education to students and make the workforce employable in emerging sectors of the economy.
Dr Sundaram also stressed on the need to accelerate development in the hills, transform low-value agriculture into high-value, market-oriented, export-oriented and processing-based agriculture, promote planned urbanisation and strengthen the social sector. The workforce currently dependent on the primary sector would also have to be gradually linked with manufacturing and services, she said.
Speaking online, former Defence Secretary Yogendra Narayan emphasised on preservation of Uttarakhand’s heritage, tourism, education and social accountability. He said heritage and cultural conservation should form an integral part of the state’s development strategy and cultural resources should be integrated into development planning. Heritage properties should be sensitively adapted for contemporary uses, including hotels and cultural activities, while protected historical areas should be viewed as economic assets capable of generating opportunities in tourism, employment and local businesses.
He said the strength of any development plan lay in integrating ecological and cultural heritage. Restoration of water bodies as community spaces and creation of green corridors connecting biodiversity parks were important steps, while historic settlements should be kept vibrant through a balance between culture and commerce.
Narayan also suggested reforms in the education system, including internship programmes for all postgraduate students with participation from the private sector. He also advocated expansion of the homestay programme to more areas to strengthen the rural economy. For strengthening villages, he suggested greater focus on modern transport systems such as ropeways rather than heavy transportation infrastructure in suitable areas. He said the ultimate objective of development should be the happiness of people and not merely an increase in GDP. States should develop strategies and
Former Chief Secretary N Ravishankar shared his experience of working with panchayats and Nagar Panchayats in different districts during his tenure as Chairman of the State Finance Commission. He stressed the need to strengthen local bodies and the three-tier Panchayati Raj system for achieving the objective of a developed Uttarakhand.
For administrative reforms, he suggested that some departments could be merged to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and ensure that every department functioned effectively as a representative of the government. He also suggested constitution of district planning committees headed by the district panchayat chairperson.
The first technical session, ‘Infrastructure for Viksit Uttarakhand@2047 – Connectivity, Resilience & Economic Growth’, focused on mountain roads and tunnels, urban development, housing, renewable energy, ropeways, multi-modal transport and logistics. The second session, ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture & Allied Sectors for High-Value, Market-Led Growth’, deliberated on climate-smart agriculture and horticulture, high-value crop diversification, farmer producer organisations, value chains for medicinal and aromatic plants, market linkages, rural enterprises and livelihood opportunities for women and youth.
The third session, ‘Future-Ready Uttarakhand: Start-ups, Innovation, Technology & Skills’, discussed the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, technological innovations to address Himalayan challenges, skill development, rural entrepreneurship and ways of connecting women and youth with entrepreneurship.
Among those who shared their views and suggestions included former Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration Sanjeev Chopra, Chief Executive Officer of Setu Aayog Shatrughan Singh, Secretary Public Works Department Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Secretary Panchayati Raj Chandraesh Yadav, Secretary Housing Dr R Rajesh Kumar, Secretary Programme Implementation, Deepak Kumar, Additional Secretary Planning Narendra Bhandari and Director General Information Banshidhar Tiwari. ITDA Director Alok Pandey; NABARD CGM Pankaj Yadav; Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan Director Dr Laxmikant; IIRS Director Dr RP Singh; CAP Director Dr Nipendra Chauhan; IIM Kashipur Professor Safal Batra; CII chairperson Sonia Garg; Heritage Aviation representative Rohit Mathur; and APEDA adviser and former Horticulture Director Dr BS Negi.
The welcome address was delivered by Additional Secretary Planning Narendra Bhandari, while SRADSTA chairman Dr Kunwar Raj Asthana presented details of the programme. The vote of thanks was proposed by CPPGG Additional Chief Executive Officer Dr Manoj Kumar Pant.
During the concluding ceremony, the fifth IGSI Uttarakhand Ratna Shri Samman was conferred on various persons for their notable contributions in different fields. The awardees included State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Dr Geeta Khanna, HNB Uttarakhand Medical Education University Vice-Chancellor Dr Bhanu Duggal, Uttaranchal University Vice-Chancellor Dr Dharam Buddhi, GRD University Vice-Chancellor Dr Manish Prateek, Ujwanal Managing Director Ajay Kumar Singh, Mayadevi University chairperson Dr Tripti Semwal, Film Development Council ACEO KS Chauhan, STPI Additional Director Manish Kumar and Information Department Deputy Director Badri Chand Negi. The honours were jointly presented by Principal Secretary Dr R Meenakshi Sundaram, Dr Ajay Saxena and Chinmaya Mission secretary Sadhana Jairaj.
