CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Encourages Women at ‘Empowered Sister Festival’: “Women to Lead Self-Reliant Uttarakhand”

Tonakpur, Oct 2025: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the “Chief Minister Empowered Sister Festival” held at Chhingigoth, Tonakpur, celebrating women’s confidence, entrepreneurship, and traditional skills. Addressing the women, he said, “Women’s participation is the key to realizing the dream of a developed Uttarakhand. The state government is committed not only to support women but to empower them to become self-reliant.”

Celebrating Women’s Skills and Entrepreneurship

The festival showcased women’s involvement in activities such as curd preparation, Appan art, soldering, rice pounding, and iron product manufacturing, highlighting women’s role in the state’s success. CM Dhami personally visited various live stalls, observed the work, and actively participated to inspire the women.

• At one stall, he joined women in traditional curd-making, emphasizing that “traditional foods connect culture with health and should be linked to modern markets.”
• At stalls involved in electrical work, he assisted in soldering Diwali lights, promoting the “Local for Vocal” initiative, stating, “Women are no longer just consumers; they are becoming producers and entrepreneurs—this is the real face of self-reliant India.”
• Participating in rice pounding with women, he highlighted that traditional agriculture and handmade food products are directly linked to health, tourism, and rural economy, and lauded women as the backbone of the rural economy.

Promotion of Local Products and Market Linkages

CM Dhami encouraged citizens to buy products made by women during Diwali. He also tasted local delicacies and praised the quality of women’s creations. Plans were announced to provide market linkages for women’s products in every district of Uttarakhand.

Empowering Women Through Self-Help Groups

Under the Mahalakshmi Kit initiative by the Women & Child Development Department, the Chief Minister distributed kits to beneficiary women. He also personally fed children and interacted with them, emphasizing, “Every child must be healthy and educated—this is the first condition for a strong society.”

At the iron industry stall, CM Dhami personally operated a spinning wheel, heated the furnace, and participated in iron product manufacturing, demonstrating women’s technical skills and self-reliance.

He reiterated that the state government provides financial, technical, and marketing support for women’s collective enterprises, production, transportation services, and handicrafts. He emphasized, “A strong state is possible only through women’s empowerment. When sisters are self-reliant, Uttarakhand will be self-reliant.”

Message of Women’s Power and Self-Reliance

CM Dhami said, “Women are power; women are the smile of creation. When women are empowered, Uttarakhand will prosper.” He extended Diwali greetings, adding, “Women are embodiments of Goddess Lakshmi; empowering them strengthens families, society, and the nation.”

Referring to PM Modi’s ‘Nari Tu Narayani’ mantra, he highlighted central and state initiatives like Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat, PM Housing Scheme, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, and the Women Power Vandan Act, which empower women. Currently, over 5 lakh women are engaged in self-employment through 70,000 Self-Help Groups, including 1.65 lakh women entrepreneurs (‘Lakhipati Didi’).

He also noted that the state government has implemented 30% reservation for women in government services and introduced uniform civil code provisions to protect women’s rights. CM Dhami called upon women to make the ‘Local for Vocal’ initiative a mass movement and actively contribute to building a self-reliant Uttarakhand.

The program was attended by State Minister Shyam Narayan Pandey, District President Govind Samant, State General Secretary Mukesh Kalkhuria, District Panchayat President Anand Adhikari, Block Chief Anchala Bohra, and other officials, elected representatives, and thousands of citizens.

Information & Public Relations Department