Cabinet ministers address Chintan Shivir at LBSNAA
By Our Staff Reporter
Mussoorie, 24 Nov: On the concluding day of the three day Chintan Shivir, titled Strong Uttarakhand @25 at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration here, today, it was the turn of the Cabinet Ministers of Pushkar Singh Dhami Government to address the senior bureaucrats at the camp. Cabinet Ministers Satpal Maharaj, Subodh Uniyal, Prem Chand Aggarwal, Ganesh Joshi, Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, Rekha Arya, Saurabh Bahuguna and Chandan Ramdas addressed the bureaucrats on this occasion, in addition to Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Suman Berry, and Chief Secretary Dr SS Sandhu.
During the discussion on the concluding day of the camp, Chief Minister Dhami expressed concern at the fact that monkeys cause a lot of damage to agriculture and horticulture in the state. He said that, due to this, a large number of farmers in the hills are now taking less interest in farming and horticulture. He added that due to losses caused to the crops by the wild animals, there is large scale migration from the rural areas of the hills. Special attention needed to be paid in this direction. The departments’ concerned would also have to work in coordination with the Forest Department to deal with the problem. A solution to this problem ought to be found by organising workshops by the Forest Department, Agriculture Department and Horticulture Department.
Addressing the bureaucrats, Senior Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj said that such contemplation camps ought to be held from time to time so that further plans could be made in the interest of the state. He said that efforts also ought to be made on simplification of procedures for public convenience. More efforts were required to be made in this direction to provide all possible facilities to the devotees during the Char Dham Yatra. Winter travel would also have to be promoted in the state. The state also had immense potential in the field of adventure tourism. Promotion of tourism would lead to rapid growth in the economy of the state. He said that more efforts are needed to preserve the culture of Uttarakhand. He also emphasised the empowerment of panchayats.
Addressing the bureaucrats, Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said that local people would have to be connected with the forests through Van Panchayats. For this, efforts would have to be made to enhance their livelihood through forests. Proper coordination between the executive and the legislature was necessary for the overall development of the state. Special attention had to be paid on community participation to save the forests and to enhance the livelihood of the people. There is a strong potential in the state for aromatic farming. Local people ought to be encouraged in this regard. Efforts would have to be made for the revival of rivers and drains in a scientific manner. People ought also to be made aware about the herbal sector as well.
Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi said that in order to provide good training to children in ITIs, special attention would have to be paid to increasing the necessary resources and manpower in these institutes. Works would have to be taken forward according to the needs of the future. Joshi said that, in 2025, when the state would be celebrating the silver jubilee of its founding, all the departments needed to contemplate and work in coordination with each other to ensure rapid growth over the next five years. He said that he was fortunate he had been given the responsibility of empowering Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan in the state. There is need to pay more attention to the quality of the products rather than the quantity. Officers ought to ensure that the benefits of the schemes reached the beneficiaries on time.
Cabinet Minister Prem Chand Aggarwal said that the brainstorming done by experts and workers in various fields in this three-day Chintan Shivir would yield good results in future. He said that efforts would have to be made to reduce the revenue expenditure. The sources of income had also to be increased in the state. For the overall development of the state, special attention is being paid by the state government to the well-planned development of hill areas along with urban areas. He said that special attention ought to be paid to centrally funded schemes. The funds received from the Centre for various works and schemes needed to be spent on time in a planned manner.
Cabinet Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat said that the One District Two Product concept needed to be promoted more aggressively. Efforts ought to be also made in the field of yoga in the state. Rawat said that this camp held for 2025 would prove helpful in making the state a leader in every field. He also suggested holding similar contemplation camps for every department. He pitched for more powers for District Magistrates. Officers doing good work ought to be appreciated. He said that till 2025 the government would have to work on 5 resolutions, namely universal education, corruption free Uttarakhand, tuberculosis free Uttarakhand, poverty and drug free Uttarakhand.
Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya said that to make Uttarakhand a leading state by 2025, special attention would have to be paid to women and youth empowerment. Many efforts are being made by the state government in the direction of women empowerment. Continuous efforts are being made to connect the youth with employment and self-employment.
Cabinet Minister Chandan Ram Das said that the state is moving fast in the fields of electricity, water, education and health. In the past 3 years, the Transport Department in the state had increased its revenue by 35 percent. Under MSME, work is being done at a fast pace in the state. He also advocated aggressive promotion of small scale industries in the hill areas.
Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bahuguna said that special efforts are being made in the state, especially in the hill districts, to increase the livelihood of the people in the field of fisheries. This is a good sector to increase the income of the farmers. Bahuguna added, “We need innovative marketing in the field of fish production. Uttara Fish Project has been started. Veterinary ambulances have been launched in the state. Dairy products have been promoted. The Goat Valley concept is being worked on in the state”.
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Berry said that he had felt attached to Uttarakhand for a long time. The state would get good results in the coming time from this Chintan Shivir for the overall development of the state. Efforts would also be made by NITI Aayog to provide all possible cooperation to the state. He said that special attention would have to be paid towards value addition, marketing and branding of products. The next 25 years are very important for India.
