Garhwal Post Bureau
Rudrapur, 28 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today made several announcements on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, aimed at women’s empowerment, safety and convenience. Addressing a gathering at Chhakarpur stadium here today, where women in large numbers tied him rakhis, he declared that women in Uttarakhand will now be entitled to free travel in Roadways buses from the age of 60, reducing the existing limit of 65 years for senior citizens. He also announced that under the Prime Minister’s e‑bus service, ten pink electric buses will be dedicated to women in Dehradun, with the facility to be extended gradually across the state.
Dhami further declared that the loan limit under the Women Self‑Employment Scheme will be raised from Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 2.50 lakhs, enabling women to access greater capital for self‑reliance and entrepreneurship. He said the government is committed to ensuring that women become not only beneficiaries of schemes but also leaders and providers of employment. He also announced the construction of modern hi‑tech toilets at major public places, markets and tourist centres, with special attention to privacy, safety and hygiene.
Dhami emphasised that women’s dignity, security and prosperity remain the government’s highest priority. He highlighted existing initiatives such as the Nanda Gaura scheme, Mahalakshmi kit distribution, 181 women helpline, One Stop Centres and 30 per cent horizontal reservation in government jobs. He noted that over 3.09 lakh women have already become “Lakhpati Didis” through self‑help groups and urged them to aim for becoming “Crorepati Didis”, assuring full government support in this journey.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given unprecedented priority to women’s empowerment since 2014, citing schemes such as Jan Dhan, Ujjwala and Swachh Bharat, which have transformed women’s lives. He reiterated that Uttarakhand, as the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code, is committed to strengthening women’s rights and opportunities.
Among those present on this occasion included Mohini Pokharia, block chief Sarita Rana, district panchayat president Ajay Maurya, municipal chairman Ramesh Chandra Joshi, Gambhir Singh Dhami, district magistrate Nitin Singh Bhadoria, SSP Ajay Ganpati and a large number of women and citizens.
