CM releases booklet on 1st year’s achievements
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 23 Mar: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government completed a year in power today. On this occasion, various programmes were organised across the state based on the achievements of the government.
The main function was held at Rangers’ College Grounds at which Chief Minister Dhami also released a development booklet, titled ‘Ek Saal Nai Misaal’ published by the Information and Public Relations Department. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of the City Forest to be built on 12.45 hectares in village Tarla Nagal off Sahastradhara Road at a cost of about Rs 37 crores.
In his address on the occasion, the CM listed the achievements of the government during the one year term and also made some important announcements. At the same time, he also asserted that a one year term is not adequate to judge any government’s performance but, during this period, the intentions and the direction that the government has taken do become evident. Reminding that it was for the first time since the formation of the state that a party in power was repeated in power by the people, Dhami asserted that the government is fully committed to transforming Uttarakhand by 2025. He also criticised those who ask what the double engine government has done in Uttarakhand and attributed several major projects including the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway Line, the All Weather Char Dham Road project, redevelopment of Kedarnath and Badrinath, two AIIMS in Uttarakhand, the Bharat Mala Project and Dehradun-Delhi Elevated Road projects to the double engine government. He said that, in the absence of the double engine government, these projects would not have been possible.
The Chief Minister made 16 important announcements in the interest of the state. He announced that the CM’s Competitive Examination Transport Scheme will be implemented in the state under which all the candidates from the state appearing for competitive exams will be given 50 percent concession in bus fares by the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation to travel to appear in the exams. He announced that Computer and Information Technology would be taught in the state from class 6 onwards. He also announced a ‘Labs on Wheels’ to be provided to all the 13 districts of the state. Dhami announced that Uttarakhand would be developed as the State Science Technology and Information Technology Corridor and that the government would also bring a ‘Science and Technology Innovation Policy to promote research and innovation in this area. He further announced that a sports university of international standards would be established by upgrading the international stadium in Haldwani. He announced the CM’s Horticulture Scheme, CM’s State Livestock Mission for Farmers and CM’s Skill Development and Employment Scheme for imparting employable skills to the youth. Under this scheme, he said that degree holders would be provided professional skills. He also announced the CM’s Gram Sadak Yojana on the lines of PMGSY but this scheme would connect villages with population of 250 or more to the main roads. He also announced the CM’s Amrit Sarovar Scheme under which a lake will be developed as a tourist place and water sports centre in each district.
The CM also announced that the District Employment and Skill Development Office will be developed as the nodal office of the Self Employment Centres. Another important announcement made by him is that mobile schools would be set up for children of workers and daily wage earners to ensure that they can also get education. Dhami announced that, in view of the fact that Gairsain had been made the summer capital, the road from Diwalikhal to Gairsain would also be widened. He also announced wide celebration of folk festivals of the state like Harela, Phooldeyi and Boodhi Diwali.
Dhami said that the time has gone when people could be misled over certain emotional issues. Now, the people can’t be fooled for long and, as a result, the political leaders and the parties which do not have any mass support have become irrelevant in politics. People now know who can deliver and who can’t. He claimed that most of the ministers in his government were more experienced than him but everyone was working together to take the state forward. The government is fully committed to taking the state rapidly ahead on the development path. During the past one year, every moment had been utilised to take decisions in public interest and to ensure that the last person in the queue could also benefit from the government schemes.
The Chief Minister claimed that people’s faith is his inspiration and the government would do everything to strengthen this faith even more. He also listed some milestones achieved during the first year in power and resolved that Uttarakhand would be among the best states in terms of governance and progress over the next few years. He also reminded that a brainstorming camp was held in Mussoorie some time back at which a blueprint was prepared for the state’s development in every sphere.
Among the achievements, the CM listed the strictest anti-copying law, giving 3 free cylinders every year to Antyodaya families, taking steps to implement the Uniform Civil Code, making a strict anti-conversion law, implementing the new education policy, new sports policy, and under progress projects like the Char Dham Road, the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway project, Delhi-Dehradun elevated road project, horizontal reservations for women in government jobs and to statehood agitationists as major achievements.
Earlier, Cabinet Minister in charge of Dehradun district, Subodh Uniyal said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh, the state government has taken many crucial decisions in the public interest in one year. He said that the intentions of the government had become very evident in the first year, itself. He reiterated that Uttarakhand would become a leading state by the time it turns 25. Commendable work has been done in the direction of making the farmers self-reliant. Special efforts have been made on startups and skill development. The schemes of the government are being taken to the last line people of the society.
Secretary, Information, Shailesh Bagoli gave the welcome address while DG, Information, Bansidhar Tiwari proposed the vote of thanks.
BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt, MLAs Khajan Das, Vinod Chamoli, Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’, Savita Kapoor, Brij Bhushan Gairola, Sahdev Singh Pundir, Mayor of Dehradun Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’, Mayor of Rishikesh Anita Mamgai, District Panchayat President Madhu Chauhan were present on the occasion along with Chief Secretary Dr SS Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, DGP Ashok Kumar and other senior officers and dignitaries.
In all the districts of the state, ministers in charge of the districts, local legislators and other public representatives participated in programmes organised on the completion of one year of the government.
