On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami hoists the national flag at the State’s main programme in Parade Ground, Dehradun

On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hoisted the national flag at the state’s main programme held in Parade Ground, Dehradun. On this occasion, the Chief Minister honoured the family members of freedom fighters and also visited a photo exhibition. During the programme, the Chief Minister presented the President’s Distinguished Service Medal to Additional Director General of Police Mr. Ajay Prakash Anshuman.

On the basis of service, the Chief Minister’s Commendable Service Medal was awarded to:

• Mrs. Shweta Chaube, Commandant, IRB-II, Dehradun
• Mr. Yogesh Chandra, Deputy Superintendent of Police
• Mr. Vipin Chandra Pathak, Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Narendra Singh Bisht, Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Rakesh Chandra Bhatt, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Ajay Prakash Semwal, Leading Fireman
• Mr. Sunit Kumar, Head Constable

For distinguished work, the Chief Minister’s Commendable Service Medal was awarded to:

• Mr. Shekhar Chandra Suyal, Additional Superintendent of Police
• Mr. Rajendra Singh Kholiya, Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Manohar Singh Rawat, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Omkant Bhushan, Sub-Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Deepak Kumar, Additional Sub-Inspector, Civil Police
• Mr. Gopal Ram, Head Constable
• Mr. Amarjeet, Constable
• Mr. Rahul, Constable

The Chief Minister also honoured sportspersons Priya Rana, Manisha Chauhan, Rahul Sarnalia, Amisha Chauhan, Visham Kashyap, Amit Belwal, and Mahak Chauhan for their excellent performance in various sports.

Extending greetings and best wishes to all residents of the state, the Chief Minister made six announcements in the interest of the state:

1. In schools where gas cylinders and stoves are not available for cooking under the Midday Meal Scheme, the state government will provide two gas cylinders and one stove.
2. In assembly constituencies where there are difficulties in drinking water supply, 1,010 handpumps will be installed in each such area.
3. The honorarium of village watchmen and village guards will be increased by ₹1,000.
4. The honorarium of block representatives working under the Sainik Welfare Department will be increased by ₹2,000.
5. For the comprehensive development and promotion of distance and employment-oriented higher education, special educational centres will be set up at the district level by the state government. These will be operated and coordinated by Uttarakhand Open University.
6. The Gangotri Glacier and other Himalayan glaciers in the state, along with their adjoining areas, will be studied regularly, and the Disaster Management Department will be further strengthened for predictive and proactive disaster management.

The Chief Minister remembered the martyrs and freedom fighters and paid respects to all the activists who dedicated their lives to the formation of Uttarakhand. He expressed condolences to all families affected by natural disasters in various parts of the state, including Dharali in Uttarkashi.

He said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, and various departments of the state government have worked with promptness, dedication, and courage in relief and rescue operations during difficult disaster situations. He assured that rehabilitation work in disaster-affected areas will be carried out with full sensitivity and at a fast pace.

Highlighting India’s journey of 78 glorious years of independence, the Chief Minister said that the nation is moving forward as a strong and self-reliant country despite many challenges, thanks to the indomitable courage, unwavering dedication, and continuous hard work of its citizens. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is advancing rapidly with the resolve to become a fully developed nation by 2047.

Today, India’s economy has become the world’s fourth largest. Rapid progress is being made in defence, science, technology, agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure. Globally, India is emerging as a strong nation. Along with boosting the morale of the armed forces, the country is being made self-reliant in defence. Under ‘Operation Sindoor’, the entire world witnessed India’s strength and capability.

The Chief Minister noted that Uttarakhand is both the “Land of the Gods” and the “Land of the Brave.” The state government is working continuously to make the state prosperous and self-reliant under the mantra of “Developed Uttarakhand.” Efforts have been made to improve basic needs such as education, health, roads, electricity, drinking water, and air connectivity.

A detailed roadmap for the holistic development of Uttarakhand has been prepared with special policies in over 30 sectors, and many new schemes have been implemented. The state is emerging as a leading hub for religious tourism, wellness tourism, adventure tourism, film shooting, and wedding destinations. In the Global Investors Summit, MoUs worth ₹3.56 lakh crore were signed with entrepreneurs, and projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore have been implemented within just one and a half years. Work is also underway to develop a smart industrial township on more than 1,000 acres at Kichha Khurpya Farm.

To develop a startup-friendly ecosystem, incubation centres are being set up, and a ₹200 crore venture fund has been arranged. The government is working to make Uttarakhand a “sports hub,” and in the National Games held under the “Green Games” theme, the state created history by winning 103 medals and securing 7th place. A Sports Legacy Plan will be implemented, under which 23 sports academies will be established in eight cities.

A new yoga policy has been introduced to make the state the global capital of yoga and spirituality. To promote Ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga, and spiritual tourism, one “Spiritual Economic Zone” each is being set up in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions. The “House of Himalayas” brand has successfully brought all organic products of the state under one umbrella.

Under the “Homestay Scheme,” the youth of the state have created new opportunities for self-employment. Farmers are being provided interest-free loans of up to ₹3 lakh, and subsidies of up to 80% under the “Farm Machinery Bank” scheme for purchasing agricultural equipment. A provision of ₹200 crore has been made for polyhouse construction to increase farmers’ income. Several important policies, including a new Apple Policy, Kiwi Policy, State Millet Mission, and Dragon Fruit Policy, have been implemented at a cost of ₹1,200 crore.

Tourism and pilgrimage are major pillars of the state’s economy, and for this, a “New Tourism Policy” has been formulated. Work is progressing rapidly on the Kedarkhand and Manaskhand Temple Corridor Mission, Yamuna pilgrimage site in Haripur Kalsi, the Haridwar–Rishikesh Corridor, and the Sharda Corridor Project.

With various transparent systems like Apuni Sarkar Portal, e-Cabinet, e-Office, CM Helpline 1905, Anti-Corruption Helpline 1064, and Digital Uttarakhand App, there has been a qualitative improvement in work culture. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, infrastructure is being strengthened through ambitious projects like the Delhi–Dehradun Elevated Road, Vande Bharat Express, Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Rail Project, Bharatmala and Parvatmala Projects, AMRUT Yojana, All-Weather Road, and Udaan Yojana.

The Chief Minister said that after the implementation of the country’s most effective anti-cheating law in the state, over 24,000 youth have secured government jobs in the last four years, and the unemployment rate has dropped by a record 4.4%. Due to the government’s continuous efforts, the state’s GSDP has increased by 1.3 times and per capita income by 11.33%. The state took the historic step of being the first in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code.

The government is fully committed to preserving Uttarakhand’s cultural values and demographics. A decision has been taken to make the anti-conversion law even stricter. More than 7,000 acres of government land have been freed from encroachment. Under ‘Operation Kalnemi’, strict action is being taken against those tarnishing the image of Sanatan Dharma.

The event was attended by former Chief Minister and former Governor of Maharashtra Mr. Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Cabinet Minister Mr. Subodh Uniyal, Rajya Sabha MPs Mr. Mahendra Bhatt and Mr. Naresh Bansal, MLA Mr. Khajan Das, public representatives, Chief Secretary Mr. Anand Bardhan, DGP Mr. Deepam Seth, secretaries, senior police officers, District Magistrate of Dehradun Mr. Savin Bansal, SSP Mr. Ajay Singh, and other district administration officials.

Department of Information & Public Relations