Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 16 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unfurled the national flag at the main state function held at the Parade Ground here, yesterday, on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day. He paid tribute to the martyrs and freedom fighters and also honoured their families. He also visited a photo exhibition showcasing the legacy of India’s freedom movement.
During the ceremony, the President’s Distinguished Service Medal was conferred upon Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Ajay Prakash Anshuman. The CM’s Commendable Service Medal was awarded to Shweta Chaubey, Commandant, IRB Second, Dehradun; Yogesh Chandra, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP); Vipin Chandra Pathak, Inspector, Civil Police; Narendra Singh Bisht, Inspector, Civil Police; Rakesh Chandra Bhatt, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police; Ajay Prakash Semwal, Leading Fireman; and Sunit Kumar, Head Constable. For distinguished service, the medal was also presented to Shekhar Chandra Suyal, Additional Superintendent of Police; Rajendra Singh Kholia, Inspector, Civil Police; Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Inspector, Civil Police; Manohar Singh Rawat, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police; Omkant Bhushan, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police; Deepak Kumar, Additional Sub-Inspector, Civil Police; Gopal Ram, Head Constable; Amarjeet, Constable; and Rahul, Constable. In addition, the CM further felicitated athletes Priya Rana, Manisha Chauhan, Rahul Sarnalia, Amisha Chauhan, Visham Kashyap, Amit Belwal, and Mahak Chauhan for their exceptional achievements in sports.
Extending his greetings to the people of Uttarakhand, Dhami also announced six welfare measures aimed at strengthening grassroots development. He announced that, in the government schools lacking cooking infrastructure under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the state will provide two gas cylinders and one stove. He announced that to address drinking water challenges, ten handpumps will be installed in each assembly constituency facing supply issues. He also announced that the honorarium for village watchmen and guards will be increased by Rs 1,000, while block representatives under the Sainik Kalyan Department will receive an increment of Rs 2,000. The CM announced that special district-level educational centres will be established to promote remote and employment-oriented higher education, which will be coordinated by Uttarakhand Open University (UOU). Besides this, Dhami further announced that regular studies of the Gangotri Glacier and other Himalayan glaciers will be undertaken, and that the Disaster Management Department will be further strengthened for predictive and proactive disaster response.
On this occasion, the CM also expressed condolences to families affected by recent natural calamities, including those in Dharali, Uttarkashi. He commended the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, and various state departments for their swift and courageous relief operations. He assured that rehabilitation efforts in disaster-hit areas would be undertaken with full sensitivity and urgency.
Dhami asserted that India has emerged as a strong and self-reliant country due to the unwavering dedication and resilience of its citizens. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India is progressing rapidly towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. The country now has the fourth-largest economy globally and has made significant advancements in sectors like defence, science, technology, agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure. He also reminded the audience of India’s growing stature on the world stage and its self-reliance in defence and cited the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’ as a testament to national strength.
The CM asserted that Uttarakhand, known both as the land of gods and heroes, is being transformed into a prosperous and self-reliant state under the motto ‘Developed Uttarakhand’. He added that the government has prioritised improvements in education, healthcare, roads, electricity, drinking water, and air connectivity. Policies have been formulated across more than 30 sectors and that a comprehensive development roadmap has been laid out. The state is emerging as a hub for religious, wellness, and adventure tourism, as well as film and wedding destinations. He reminded that, at the Global Investors Summit, MoUs worth Rs 3.56 lakh crores were signed, and projects exceeding Rs 1 lakh crores have already been grounded within eighteen months. A smart industrial township is being developed on over 1,000 acres at Kichha Khurpiya Farm. To foster a startup-friendly ecosystem, incubation centres have been set up and a Rs 200 crores venture fund has been established.
The CM claimed that government is committed to making Uttarakhand a ‘land of sports’. Reminding that, at the National Games themed as ‘Green Games’, the state had secured 103 medals and ranked seventh, he announced that under the Sports Legacy Plan, 23 sports academies will be established across eight cities. He also reminded that a new yoga policy has been introduced to position the state as a global capital for yoga and spirituality. Spiritual Economic Zones are being developed in both Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to promote Ayurvedic and natural medicine, yoga, and spiritual tourism. The ‘House of Himalayas’ brand has unified the state’s organic products under one banner. Through the ‘Homestay Scheme’, youth have carved new paths in self-employment. Farmers are being supported with interest-free loans up to Rs 3 lakhs and up to 80 per cent subsidy on agricultural equipment via the ‘Farm Machinery Bank’ scheme. A Rs 200 crore provision has been made for polyhouse construction to boost agricultural income. New policies including the Apple Policy, Kiwi Policy, State Millet Mission, and Dragon Fruit Policy have been launched with a combined investment of Rs 1,200 crores.
Dhami reiterated that tourism and pilgrimage are being promoted through a new Tourism Policy. Projects like the Kedarkhand and Manaskhand Temple Mission, Yamuna Pilgrimage Site at Haripur Kalsi, Sharda Corridor Project, and Haridwar-Rishikesh Corridor are progressing swiftly. Transparent governance mechanisms such as the ‘Apuni Sarkar Portal’, ‘E-Cabinet’, ‘E-Office’, ‘CM Helpline 1905’, ‘Anti-Corruption Helpline 1064’, and ‘Digital Uttarakhand App’ have significantly improved administrative efficiency. Infrastructure development is being accelerated under the Prime Minister’s guidance through projects like the Delhi-Dehradun Elevated Road, Vande Bharat Express, Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project, Bharatmala and Parvatmala Projects, AMRUT Scheme, All-Weather Road, and UDAN Scheme.
The CM stated that the state’s GSDP has grown by 1.3 times and per capita income by 11.33 per cent. Uttarakhand has taken a historic step by becoming the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code. The government remains committed to preserving the cultural values and demographic integrity of the state, with plans to further tighten the anti-conversion law. Over 7,000 acres of government land have been reclaimed from encroachment. Through ‘Operation Kalnemi’, stringent action is being taken against those who malign Sanatan Dharma.
Among those who were present on the occasion included former Chief Minister and former Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal, Rajya Sabha MPs Mahendra Bhatt and Naresh Bansal, MLA Khajandas, other public representatives, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, DGP Deepam Seth, senior secretaries and police officers, DM, Dehradun, Savin Bansal, SSP Ajai Singh, and officials from the district administration.
