By OUR STAFF REPORTER
PAURI, 3 Feb: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid foundation stones for 353 different development projects worth Rs 800 crore in Pauri here on Saturday. This includes inauguration of 196 projects worth Rs 134.61 crore, laying of foundation for 157 projects worth Rs 666.13 crore.
Addressing a huge public meeting in Pauri on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the land of Pauri is the centre of cultural consciousness, the land of bold, courageous people like Tilu Rautaili, Veer Madho Singh, Jaswant Singh Rawat and Gen Bipin Rawat. He said that he was fortunate to get an opportunity to come to the holy land of Pauri and inaugurate public welfare projects in a programme dedicated to women power. With the schemes in the pipeline, Pauri Garhwal is poised to develop by leaps and bounds.
The Chief Minister said that the entire Uttarakhand is making rapid progress by the double engine government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lauding the exhibitions organised by women‘s groups on local products, he said that the women in the state are working to implement the mantra of “Self-reliant India” and “Vocal for Local”. Today, women in remote villages of the state are forming self-help groups, giving impetus to the rural economy through cottage industries.Dhami said that the country’s most stringent anti-copying law has been implemented by the government in Uttarakhand. A law has also been made to stop religious conversion. The system of 30 per cent horizontal reservation for the women of the state has been implemented. The government is also moving towards implementing the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister participated in the ‘Disha Dhyani, Bwai-Bwari’ conference programme dedicated to women empowerment at Kandoliya Maidan and unveiled the statue of Martyr Jaswant Singh Rawat at Ransi stadium. Later, he also inspected the products prepared by Urban Haat and Women Self Help Group in Kandoliya Park. While visiting the Kandolia temple, he prayed for the prosperity of the country and the state. He later participated as the chief guest at the main event venue, Kandolia Maidan, where 16 general stalls, live stalls (Bhimal painting, craft making of Pirul and dates, Bhand-Kund of Uttarakhand, churning of milk from churner) of various departments were displayed. At the venue of the programme, the Chief Minister worshiped a local breed Badri cow and the calf in the stall of the Animal Husbandry Department, pounded grains with a mortar in the live stall.
In his address, the Chief Minister informed about the schemes, programmes, achievements and efforts being run by the Central and State Government for women empowerment and termed women power the backbone of this hilly state. The Chief Minister also released the “Coffee Table Book” based on the Ganga Path prepared by the Tourism Department. He inaugurated the park named after Late General Bipin Rawat in Kandoliya itself, where the statue of General Bipin Rawat and a 101-feet high tricolour flag was the centre of attraction. He also administered the oath to the people present on ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ and Drug Free Devbhoomi-2025.
Dhami seemed happy with the self-employment efforts of women during the inspection of the Urban Haat organised by women self-help groups in Kandoliya Theme Park. During the tour of the stalls set up in the Haat, he also tasted some products on display at the venue. The Chief Minister visited each stall to seek information about the products and asked questions about the benefits being derived from it. Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj and Dhan Singh Rawat also participated in the conference programme “Disha Dhyani, Bye-Bwari” and highlighted the efforts being made by the Central and State Governments for the development of the country and the state.
