Governor inspected the Raitik Parade on State Formation Day
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 9 Nov: On the occasion of Uttarakhand’s State Foundation Day, a major event was held at the Police Lines in Dehradun on Saturday, where Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated. On this occasion, the Governor inspected the Raitik Parade and took the salute. He also honored police officers who received the ‘President’s Police Medal’ and ‘Police Medal’ for their distinguished services.
In his video message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations and best wishes to the people of Uttarakhand. On this occasion, the Governor and Chief Minister also released the “Sankalp Satat Vikas Ka” and “Uttarakhand Police Magazine 2024” publications of the Information and Public Relations Department. The Police Department presented an outstanding display of courage, with the canine unit’s performance particularly thrilling the audience.
During the State Foundation Day celebrations, this year’s Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman was awarded to India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, folk singer Preetam Bharatvan, social reformer and spiritual leader Mata Mangla, renowned Neurosurgeon Dr Mahesh Kuriyal and veteran actor Hemant Pandey. The Governor and Chief Minister honored the recipients of the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman-2024.
Lt Gen Singh extended his congratulations and best wishes on the State Foundation Day and paid homage to all the known and unknown martyrs and activists associated with the Uttarakhand statehood movement.
In his address, the Governor emphasized the need for a resolution on this day to keep the youth away from drugs and addiction. He stated that Uttarakhand Police must work in collaboration with all sections of society to combat this issue. He called for collective efforts to build a drug-free Uttarakhand, ensuring a safer environment for the future generation.
Lt Gen Singh highlighted that Uttarakhand has emerged as one of the leading states in the country in several development parameters. Significant improvements are being made in sectors such as roads, electricity, water, health, education, financial inclusion, and social security. He stressed that while much progress has been made, there is still much to be done, and continued collective contributions are necessary.
Referring to the nine requests made by Prime Minister Modi, the Governor stated that these should be treated as nine resolutions and assured that they would be followed with full commitment.
The Governor also discussed the state’s development strategy, which includes farming, horticulture, aromatic farming, honey production, homestays, tourism, yoga, and wellness sectors. He urged that these sectors could bring prosperity to rural areas and create employment opportunities. He said that making “ghost villages” into “host villages” should be the goal.
Considering Uttarakhand’s challenging geographic conditions, the Governor stressed the importance of increasing access to technology, artificial intelligence, and internet services to improve public amenities. He also mentioned that lessons must be learned from recent incidents, such as the road accident in Almora, to take effective preventive measures.
The Governor pointed out the revolution in the state’s tourism sector through the Homestay Scheme, which has created new employment opportunities and strengthened the rural economy. The Vibrant Villages Program in 51 border villages is playing a significant role in achieving the goal of reversing migration.
He concluded by saying that as the state celebrates its 24 years of existence, there is a need to take on new resolutions to make Uttarakhand the best state in the country through enthusiasm, energy, and collective efforts.
The event was attended by former Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Cabinet Ministers Ganesh Joshi, Dr Dhans Singh Rawat, Member of Parliament Mala Rajyalakshmi Shah, Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt, District Panchayat President Madhu Chauhan, MLAs Banshidhar Bhagat and Khajan Das, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, DGP Abhinav Kumar, and senior officials from the government, police, and district administration, along with other distinguished guests.
