BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
NEW DELHI 24 May: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, held in New Delhi on Saturday. During the meeting, he also highlighted challenges posed by rapid urbanisation in Uttarakhand and called for a national-level plan to develop a sustainable urban drainage system.
Dhami further requested the inclusion of lift irrigation in the guidelines of the PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. He emphasised that due to the mountainous terrain in Uttarakhand, only around 10 per cent of such areas are currently irrigated. He informed that the state is undertaking significant efforts to conserve rainwater through the River Linking Project, which connects glacier fed rivers with rainfed rivers, alongside the construction of check dams and small reservoirs.
The CM also announced that Uttarakhand will host the renowned Maa Nanda Raj Jat Yatra in 2026, referred to as the Mountain Mahakumbh, followed by the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2027. He sought central support to ensure both events are ‘grand and divine.’
Dhami also stressed on the importance of India’s demographic dividend and added that that the next ten years are critical for Uttarakhand to leverage this potential. The state is, therefore, placing a strong emphasis on promoting self-employment across various sectors.
Pushkar Singh Dhami pointed out that while agriculture contributes just 9.3 percent to the state’s GDP and that about 45 per cent of the population remains dependent on it. In response, Uttarakhand has launched several initiatives such as the Apple, Kiwi, Dragon Fruit and Millet Missions, along with the promotion of aromatic farming, to encourage a shift from low value to high value crops.
The CM further claimed that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, India is progressing rapidly towards becoming a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047. Dhami stated that Uttarakhand is contributing to this mission with firm commitment, sound financial management, and fiscal discipline. The state economy, he said, has grown by nearly 1.5 times in the past three years. In the 2023–24 SDG ranking given by NITI Aayog, Uttarakhand secured the top position, while the CARE Ratings report has ranked the state second among small states in governance and financial management.
Dhami also reminded that Uttarakhand has implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and provided over 23,000 government jobs to youth in the past three-and-half years. He cited the successful organisation of the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, themed Green Games, as a model for sustainable sporting events. He shared that approximately 4,000 medals were made from recycled e-waste, and solar energy was used to meet all power requirements, preventing the emission of around 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The Chief Minister stated that in the state, tourism has also seen a significant boost, especially after the Prime Minister’s visits to Harshil and Mukhba. A comprehensive policy for promoting adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and high-end tourism has been implemented at the grassroots level.
He stated that the state is committed to sustainable and inclusive development driven by innovation and technology. He noted that Uttarakhand has initiated the release of the Gross Environment Product (GEP) Index to balance environmental and economic interests. A Geothermal Energy Policy will soon be introduced, and under the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme, beneficiaries are earning over Rs 1 lakh per month.
