By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Gairsain, 27 Oct: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today addressed the media here following the presentation of the supplementary budget on the opening day of the two day assembly session. Addressing a press conference, the CM described the Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2026-27 as an important step towards building a developed, prosperous and self-reliant Uttarakhand. He asserted that the state government’s commitment is to transform Uttarakhand into a developed, prosperous and self-reliant state by 2047, and that the Supplementary Budget has been prepared keeping in mind both the current requirements and future needs of the state.
Dhami said Uttarakhand has witnessed a long journey of development during nearly 26 years since its formation. He attributed this progress to the struggles of the statehood movement, the hard work of the people of Uttarakhand and active public participation. He said the state remains committed to playing a significant role in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat-2047.
Highlighting the state’s economic progress, the Chief Minister said Uttarakhand’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) stood at around Rs 2.55 lakh crores in 2022 and is projected to increase to approximately Rs 3.82 lakh crores in 2026-27. During the same period, per capita income has risen from around Rs 1.95 lakhs to Rs 2.74 lakhs. He claimed that the multidimensional poverty has declined, while the number of start-ups has increased from 702 to 1,978 and MSME units have grown from around 60,000 to nearly one lakh. The state’s solar energy capacity has also registered significant growth, he reminded.
Dhami also reminded that Uttarakhand had secured the joint top position in the NITI Aayog SDG India Index 2023-24 with a score of 79. He said the state has also received recognition at the national level for investment friendliness and sound financial management. According to him, the government’s focus is to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach villages, farmers, women and youth.
The CM said that the Supplementary Budget for 2026-27 provides for Rs 7,844.18 crores, including Rs 4,164.32 crores under the capital head and Rs 3,679.86 crores under the revenue head. In line with the recommendations of the Sixth State Finance Commission, the government has proposed increasing the share of local bodies in state tax revenue from 10.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent. A provision of Rs 721 crores has been made for this purpose, which will provide additional resources to rural and urban local bodies for development works.
He said the Budget includes Rs 1,100 crores under the Annapurti Yojana for procurement of paddy and wheat from farmers, Rs 500 crores under the Special Assistance Scheme for infrastructure development and Rs 300 crores for the Jal Jeevan Mission. A provision of Rs 122 crores has been made for the Gairsain Water Supply Dam Project, while around Rs 290 crores has been earmarked for infrastructure development and arrangements related to the forthcoming Divya Kumbh. The Budget also makes provisions for works connected with the Nanda Raj Jat Yatra and the Haridwar-Ganga Corridor project.
In the health sector, Rs 100 crores has been allocated for the Atal Ayushman Yojana and Rs 125 crores for the Golden Card scheme for employees. An amount of around Rs 160 crores has been provided for works related to medical education, including Pithoragarh and Rudrapur Medical Colleges. An allocation of Rs 200 crore has also been made to promote digital learning in school and higher education institutions.
Dhami said provisions have been made for the Chief Minister Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana to assist youth preparing for competitive examinations. Allocations have also been made for the Sports University, the Women’s Sports College, training of sportspersons and scholarship schemes. He said welfare programmes relating to women and child development, the Poshan Abhiyan, honorarium for Bhojan Matas, the Kisan Pension Scheme and other social security initiatives have also been prioritised in the Budget.
The CM also claimed that the government’s focus is not limited to launching new schemes, but also extends to ensuring that their benefits reach the people on time. With this objective, public participation has been encouraged in the budget-making process. He said that over the past five years, pre-budget consultations have been organised with farmers, women, youth, entrepreneurs and representatives from various sectors to gather suggestions. He added that the government has maintained a revenue surplus position while emphasising fiscal discipline, transparency and efficient utilisation of public funds.
Dhami further claimed that special attention is being paid to disaster management and the development of safe infrastructure in Uttarakhand. Works are being undertaken in land subsidence-affected areas, including Joshimath, as well as in disaster-resilient construction, road infrastructure and heli services. He noted that, for the first time, a Software Technology Parks of India campus has been established in Dehradun, which is expected to create new opportunities for youth in the IT and start-up sectors.
Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj and Secretary Finance Dilip Jawalkar were also present on the occasion.
