Chief Minister says more than 35,000 youths have secured government jobs in Uttarakhand through a transparent recruitment process
Giving national and international recognition to products made by women’s self-help groups is a government priority: Chief Minister
Development and environmental protection complement each other; Uttarakhand is moving forward by maintaining a balance between ecology and economy: Chief Minister
Government committed to protecting Uttarakhand’s original character, cultural heritage and the safe future of coming generations: Chief Minister
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the ‘Devbhoomi Se Vikas Samvad Conclave’ organised at Hotel Fairfield, Dehradun, today. On this occasion, he shared his views in detail on the development work undertaken in the state over the past few years, providing employment opportunities to the youth, women’s empowerment, preventing migration, promoting tourism, environmental protection, and the efforts being made by the government to preserve the state’s cultural identity and original character.
The Chief Minister said that the Uttarakhand Government had implemented the country’s strictest anti-copying law to secure the future of young people and ensure transparency in recruitment processes. As a result, more than 35,000 youths in the state have received the opportunity to be selected for government services through a fair and transparent recruitment process. In these recruitments, sons and daughters of ordinary families have got the opportunity to move ahead on the basis of their merit, without any recommendation, corruption or cheating. He said that, along with establishing transparency in the recruitment process, the government had also taken several important decisions, including a strict anti-conversion law.
The Chief Minister said that the contribution of women has been extremely important in the formation and development of Uttarakhand. Particularly in the hilly regions, women lead their lives under very difficult circumstances. Along with taking care of the entire family, they also play an important role in agriculture, animal husbandry and other economic activities. Recognising this contribution, the state government has made provision for 30 per cent horizontal reservation for women in government jobs. The government's effort is to ensure equal opportunities and participation for women in every field so that they can become self-reliant and play an important role in the development of the state.
He said that more than three lakh women in the state are associated with self-help groups and are doing remarkable work in the fields of self-employment and entrepreneurship. Demand for the local products prepared by these groups is increasing across the country and abroad. Through the House of Himalayas brand, traditional products of Uttarakhand are being provided access to a wider market. These include a variety of products such as stitching and knitting items, millet-based products, पूजा (religious worship) materials, festival-related products, local textiles, handicrafts and souvenirs. The Chief Minister said that the products made by women of Uttarakhand have the capacity to compete with even major multinational brands in terms of quality and price.
Referring to the resolve expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kedarnath Dham on November 5, 2021, that “the third decade of the 21st century will be the decade of Uttarakhand”, the Chief Minister said that when he sees the hard work, determination and innovations being undertaken by the women of the state, he becomes fully confident that women will play an important role in taking Uttarakhand to new heights during this decade. He said that the state had made significant progress on its development journey, but this journey was not yet over. Continuous efforts would have to be made to take the state to new dimensions of development.
Responding to a question related to the development of the state, the Chief Minister said that there should never be stagnation in the fields of development, innovation, science and technology. There should certainly be a sense of satisfaction with achievements, but at the same time, the resolve to move further ahead must also remain. He said that the aspirations of the people of Uttarakhand were very high and the government was continuously working to fulfil those aspirations.
Regarding providing employment to the youth, the Chief Minister said that his government had been dedicated to young people from the very beginning. During his long association with the youth through student politics and the youth wing, he had closely understood their problems and expectations. After taking over the responsibility of Chief Minister in 2021, he resolved to fill vacant posts in the state's government departments. At that time, there was a backlog of around 24,000 posts. The government initiated the recruitment process on a priority basis, and so far, more than 35,000 youths have been appointed to government services. He said that this achievement was not only that of the government, but was the result of the efforts of the entire administrative team and the hard work and talent of the state's youth.
The Chief Minister said that the state government's effort was to ensure that young people did not have to leave their homes and villages to find employment. In this direction, sectors such as tourism, self-employment, homestays, hotel businesses, taxi operations, horticulture and startups were being promoted. He said that the Vibrant Villages Programme, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was playing an important role in connecting border areas with the mainstream of development. The Prime Minister had given the message that Mana village should be identified as the country's first village instead of being called its last village. Following this, development of basic facilities, connecting roads, tourism and livelihood opportunities in border villages had gained fresh momentum.
Referring to the Adi Kailash Yatra, the Chief Minister said that the number of tourists and devotees visiting the region had increased significantly. This was providing employment opportunities to local people through homestays, hotels, transportation and other tourism-related activities. He said that the number of startups in the state, which was earlier around 700, had now increased to approximately 2,200. Similarly, the number of homestays had increased from around 4,000 to more than 8,000. The hotel business and other tourism-related sectors were also continuously expanding. A significant increase had also been recorded in the state's per capita income.
The Chief Minister said that the state's budget had increased considerably compared to 2021. The state's economy and development activities had gained momentum. Uttarakhand had secured the first position in the country in the NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, demonstrating its achievements. The state was also continuously receiving recognition at the national level in the tourism sector. Uttarakhand's identity as a wedding destination was becoming stronger. Along with Mussoorie, Ramnagar, Mukteshwar and other tourist destinations, new wedding destinations were being developed. This was creating new livelihood opportunities for youth, women and local entrepreneurs.
The Chief Minister said that maintaining a balance between development and environmental protection was a major responsibility for a Himalayan state like Uttarakhand. Being the origin of sacred rivers such as the Ganga and Yamuna, the state provides water, life and natural resources to the country. More than 70 per cent of the state's area is covered by forests. The state is home to the Himalayas, glaciers, forest wealth and rich biodiversity. In such circumstances, Uttarakhand's responsibility is not limited to protecting its own environment, but also includes contributing to the environmental balance of the entire country and the world.
He said that every year during the monsoon, the state faces serious challenges due to excessive rainfall, cloudbursts, landslides and other natural disasters. This year too, heavy damage has been caused by natural disasters in various parts of the state, including Dharali. Disaster incidents have been reported in several areas, including Chamoli, Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Pauri, Dehradun, Haridwar and Champawat. The Chief Minister said that it would not be appropriate to view disasters in Himalayan regions only in connection with unplanned construction. Cloudbursts and landslides have also occurred in several remote areas where construction activities have not taken place for miles. Climate change and global temperature rise are also important causes of these incidents. Therefore, the responsibility for environmental protection does not rest only with people living in Himalayan regions, but with the entire world.
The Chief Minister said that the state government had adopted a development model in which ecology and economy were considered not opponents of each other, but complementary to each other. Along with development works, the protection of nature, the environment and local resources was also a priority of the government. Efforts were being made to ensure such development in Uttarakhand that meets the needs of the present generation while also preserving the natural heritage for future generations.
Responding to questions related to development and political issues in the state, the Chief Minister said that people make their decisions not on the basis of slogans and announcements alone, but on the basis of the government's work and results. In a democracy, people evaluate the work carried out over five years. He said that the people of Uttarakhand were aware and discerning. Along with development, it was equally important for the government to protect the state's cultural heritage, social harmony, the sanctity of Devbhoomi and its original identity. The government's resolve was to hand over to coming generations an Uttarakhand that was safe, prosperous and connected to its cultural identity.
Regarding the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Chief Minister said that it had been one of the major commitments of his party's ideology. Removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, constructing the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya and implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the country had been important commitments of the party. Uttarakhand had earned the distinction of becoming the first state in independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code. He said that during the 2022 Assembly elections, the people of the state had been given the commitment that the UCC would be implemented. The people had expressed their confidence in this commitment, and the government had fulfilled its promise.
The Chief Minister said that the objective of the provisions made in the UCC regarding live-in relationships was not to interfere with anyone's personal freedom, but to ensure the safety of individuals living in such relationships. He said that in several cases, disputes, violence and serious criminal incidents had come to light in such relationships. In these circumstances, families also suffered deep distress. Therefore, through registration and related provisions in the law, efforts had been made to ensure safety, accountability and necessary information.
Regarding investments and development projects, the Chief Minister said that investment proposals worth approximately ₹1 lakh crore had so far been grounded in the state. In addition, preparations were underway to bring investment proposals worth approximately ₹24,000 crore to ₹25,000 crore to the ground. The government's effort was to ensure that investment proposals did not remain limited to paper but developed into actual projects and created employment and self-employment opportunities for the state's youth.
Expressing concern over the growing tendency of drug addiction among young people, the Chief Minister said that addiction does not destroy the life of just one individual, but affects the entire family and society. He appealed to the youth to firmly say ‘no’ to drugs. In particular, young people studying in schools, colleges and hostels should not start using any kind of intoxicant under pressure from their friends. He said that efforts by the government and police administration alone were not sufficient to fight drug addiction. Every member of society, parents, teachers and young people must also actively participate in awareness campaigns. Only through collective efforts can the goal of making Uttarakhand drug-free be achieved.
The Chief Minister said that the government was committed not only to meeting present-day needs but also to securing the future of the coming generations of Uttarakhand. The state's development journey would continue uninterrupted, and the government would move forward with new commitments in the fields of employment, self-employment, women's empowerment, tourism, infrastructure and environmental protection.
