CM unfurls Tricolour at Parade Ground in Doon, makes key announcements on I Day
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 16 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday hoisted the national flag at the state-level Independence Day celebrations at the Parade Ground here and paid tributes to the martyrs, freedom fighters, soldiers and statehood agitationists. The ceremony began with a collective rendition of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the flag hoisting and the national anthem.
Dhami greeted the people of Uttarakhand on Independence Day and expressed solidarity with families affected by recent natural disasters. He said the government’s priority is to provide speedy relief, proper treatment to the injured and assistance to those who had lost their homes and livelihoods, besides restoring damaged roads, bridges, drinking water and power lines.
Dhami said that the year, 2026, is significant as the country has entered its 80th year of Independence and is observing the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’, besides the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Ravidas and the 350th martyrdom year of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. He also paid tribute to those who suffered during Partition.
The CM said that India is progressing rapidly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in infrastructure, semiconductors, space, defence production, artificial intelligence, science, research, startups, sports, yoga and Ayurveda. He said the Prime Minister’s vision of a developed India by 2047 is guiding the country’s development.
Describing Uttarakhand as, both, Devbhoomi and Veerbhoomi, Dhami asserted that the government is committed to the welfare of serving and retired soldiers and their families. The Sainik Dham is being constructed in Dehradun, while ex-gratia assistance for the dependants of martyrs has been raised from Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 50 lakhs and that for families of Param Vir Chakra awardees from Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 2 crores. One member of every martyr’s family is also being accommodated in government service.
He claimed that Uttarakhand is working towards the goal of a developed state by 2035, with emphasis on road, rail and ropeway connectivity. The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway project, Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and ropeway projects are giving a fresh impetus to connectivity, while work on the Jamrani, Lakhwar, Kishau and Saung dam projects is also progressing.
Dhami said that the reconstruction of Kedarnath and Badrinath, the Kedarkhand-Manaskhand Temple Mala Mission, Rishikesh-Haridwar Corridor, Sharda Corridor, Haripur Yamuna Teerth redevelopment and winter pilgrimage are strengthening the state’s spiritual heritage while boosting tourism and the economy. He said the Char Dham Yatra has crossed the historic figure of 47 lakhs pilgrims and more than four crore devotees had participated in this year’s Kanwar pilgrimage.
He said Uttarakhand is emerging beyond religious tourism as a destination for wellness, adventure tourism, film shooting and weddings. The government is also strengthening the startup ecosystem through incubation centres and a Rs 200 crore venture fund, while ‘House of Himalayas’, homestays and the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme are opening new opportunities for local entrepreneurs and youth.
On the occasion, the CM made seven important announcements. He announced that special industrial parks would be established in Chamoli, Pauri and Almora; Uttarakhand’s first Youth Commission would be constituted; additional assistance and incentives would be provided to youth, ex-servicemen and Agniveers of border villages for self-employment and setting up enterprises; the time limit for regularisation of Class-3 and Class-4 land would be extended and landholder rights provided; the State’s share under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana would be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000; a Chief Minister Youth Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship Promotion Scheme would be launched for those aged 18 to 30, offering free entrepreneurship and skill training with reputed institutions such as IITs and IIMs and a government grant equivalent to 30 percent of bank loans for enterprises; and a ‘Bal Veerta Puraskar’ would be instituted from this year to honour brave children of the state.
Referring to the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana’, Dhami said free online coaching for competitive examinations would be provided to talented students of Classes XI and XII in government schools. In the first phase, 10,000 students would benefit from the scheme for which Rs 7 crore had been sanctioned. He said following the successful National Games, 23 sports academies would be established in eight cities under the Sports Legacy Plan, besides work on a women’s sports college and Sports University.
He said more than three lakh women have become Lakhpati Didis, while women’s self-help groups are being provided interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakhs. Farmers are being given interest-free loans up to Rs 3 lakhs, subsidies of up to 80 percent on agricultural equipment and free canal irrigation. The state’s first Science, Technology and Innovation Policy hsd also been implemented and the country’s fifth Science City is being developed in Dehradun.
Dhami said the state’s GSDP has grown by 7.23 percent during the past year, while per capita income has risen by 41 percent. More than 20,000 new industries have been established during the past five years and startups had increased from 700 to nearly 1,750. He said Uttarakhand had secured first position in the NITI Aayog Sustainable Development Goals Index and second among Himalayan states in the Public Finance Performance Index and India Innovation Index.
He said the government has taken important decisions including implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, stringent land law, anti-conversion law, anti-riot law and anti-copying law. More than 34,000 youths had secured government jobs transparently during the past five years. Reiterating the policy of zero tolerance against corruption, Dhami said the government is committed to building an Uttarakhand where development goes hand in hand with heritage, employment with a solution to migration, and modernity with preservation of culture and identity.
Dhami said the trust reposed by the people in the government is not merely political support but a major responsibility. He reiterated his resolve to make Uttarakhand the best state in the country and said the government would continue working with dedication and commitment to achieve the goal.
During the ceremony, families of freedom fighters were also honoured. The CM also visited a photo exhibition put up at the venue. Fourteen police officers and personnel were also presented the Chief Minister’s Commendable Service Medal, while 13 sportspersons who had performed commendably at national and international levels were honoured.
Former Chief Minister and former Union minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, Cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat, Dehradun Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, DGP Deepam Seth, secretaries to the state government, Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan, Senior Superintendent of Police, Dehradun, Premendra Dobal and other dignitaries were among those present.
