By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 5 Feb: The annual Vasantotsav at Raj Bhavan, Dehradun, will be held from 7 to 9 March this year. This decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) at the Raj Bhavan, here, on Wednesday. The Governor emphasised ensuring maximum participation in the event and expanding its publicity so that flower producers and women’s self-help groups in the state can benefit more from it. He also stressed the need to promote flower production as well as the propagation of fragrant plants in Uttarakhand through the Vasantotsav.
The Governor instructed that the flower exhibition should be linked to commercial activities, and possibilities for marketing the flowers not only within the state but also across the country should be explored. He also directed that a food court be set up in collaboration with IHM and GMVN, with a special focus on traditional millet-based dishes. Additionally, honey production will also be promoted, with a special stall from GB Pant Agricultural University.
The Governor called for the implementation of a feedback system during the event to gather suggestions and improve the event in the future. He directed the authorities to complete all arrangements for Vasantotsav 2025 in a timely manner.
It was stated at the meeting that the flower exhibition will feature competitions in 15 different categories, with a total of 162 awards. The event will also feature performances by ITBP, IMA, PAC, and Home Guard bands. Cultural evenings with performances by artists will be held, and displays of Yoga, Judo, and Martial Arts will also take place.
For the first time, a Lilium exhibition will be included in the competition, with three awards. As in previous years, competitions related to Vegetable Gardening, Bonsai Gardening, Hydroponic Farming, Terrariums, and Honey Processing will be held. The exhibition will also include floral displays and competitions from commercial and private flower producers, as well as various government gardens. Additionally, competitions like flower arrangement in categories such as cut flowers, potted plant arrangements, loose flower arrangements, hanging pots, and “on-the-spot photography” will be organised.
The meeting was attended by Director General, Home Guards, Dr PVK Prasad, Secretary to the Governor Ravinath Raman, Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare SN Pandey, Additional Secretary to the Governor Swati S Bhadoria, DIG, ITBP, Manu Maharaj, Director, Horticulture & Food Processing, Deepti Singh, Joint Director, Information, Dr Nitin Upadhyay, and officials from various departments such as Tourism, Horticulture, ITBP, ONGC, IHM, GMVN, India Post, Forest, Police, and Culture.
