Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Jul: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while participating in the ‘Uttarakhand CSR Dialogue’ programme organised at his Camp Office on Friday, appealed to the representatives of the industry to cooperate in the development journey of Uttarakhand.
Welcoming representatives from the corporate world, officials from various central government enterprises, CSR partners, and representatives from industry and social organisations, the Chief Minister said that the religious scriptures also state that charity done at pilgrimage sites holds special significance. Therefore, the importance of CSR contributions made by corporate groups to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand also increases. He said that everyone can contribute by working in Devbhoomi. Therefore, everyone should take advantage of this opportunity. He said that many groups are doing excellent work under CSR. He also appealed to other groups established in Uttarakhand to spend their CSR in the state.
Chief Minister Dhami stated that the event was not a formal meeting but a shared resolve to bring positive change to the lives of the most marginalised in Uttarakhand. He added that memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed at the event with various reputable companies in key sectors such as skill development, road safety, women’s empowerment, rural development, and education. Prestigious corporate groups from across the country also announced several new projects for Uttarakhand.
Dhami stated on this occasion that Uttarakhand has unique characteristics. It is a mountainous and border state. Its ecology is extremely sensitive, and therefore, its development challenges are different from those of other states. This requires greater resources and effort. Therefore, holistic development means not only building roads, buildings, and infrastructure, but also establishing a balance between job creation, social development, and environmental protection. Therefore, the state needs development that respects the sensitivity of the mountains, protects forests and rivers, and provides youth with employment opportunities within the state. The Chief Minister emphasised that corporate experience, institutional capacity, modern management styles, and a commitment to social welfare can play a crucial role in achieving this objective.
The Chief Minister stated that the state government is continuously striving to elevate Uttarakhand to new heights in industrial development. In this regard, the Global Investors Summit was held in 2023, where the state received investment proposals worth over Rs 3.56 lakh crore. Of these, investment proposals worth over Rs 1 lakh crore have been successfully implemented so far. The Chief Minister added that the state government has simplified the licensing process to facilitate business by implementing a single-window system. Furthermore, it has implemented over 30 policies, including the Industrial Policy, Logistics Policy, Startup Policy, and MSME Policy, to provide a conducive and secure environment for industries. Furthermore, incubation centres have been established to promote startups in the state and a venture fund of Rs 200 crore has been established. He added that these efforts by the state government have helped Uttarakhand achieve the first position in the country in the NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals Index. Along with this, Uttarakhand has been ranked as Achievers in Ease of Doing Business and Leaders in Startup Ranking.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that a good industrial environment cannot be developed in any state without transparency in governance. Therefore, for the first time in the state’s history, the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and has taken strict action against more than 200 corrupt officials and employees over the past year. Entrepreneurs are directly benefiting from the state government’s transparency. They no longer face unnecessary obstacles or corruption in project approvals, land allotments, industrial licences, or other business activities.
The Chief Minister assured the entrepreneurs that the state government is committed to establishing Uttarakhand as the nation’s leading “investment-friendly state”. He expressed the hope that corporate efficiency and the state government’s transparent policies will combine to create a sustainable economy that will set an example for the entire country.
Cabinet Ministers Ganesh Joshi, Khajan Das, MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, Vice Chairman, Infrastructure Monitoring Council, Vishwas Dabur, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretary Vinay Shankar Pandey, MD, SIDCUL, Dr Saurabh Gaharwar, Additional Secretary Manmohan Mainali were present on the occasion.
MoUs were signed with Hyundai, Lernant-Infosys Foundation, ONGC, ITC, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Limited, Aditya Birla Capital, Finolex, and Panasonic.
