CM interacts with 140 selected students at ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’; announces DBT support for Class 10 and 12 students of government schools to purchase tablets
Dehradun, September 2026: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday interacted with 140 students selected from across the state during the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’ programme organised at the Mukhyamantri Camp Office’s Mukhya Sevak Sadan.
The Chief Minister sought the students’ views, suggestions and vision for the future of Uttarakhand. He said the state government would make efforts to incorporate useful and practical suggestions received from young people into government schemes and policy-making.
On the occasion, Dhami announced that students studying in Classes 10 and 12 in government schools would be provided financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to enable them to purchase tablets. He said the state government was continuously working to make the education system responsive to future requirements and connect students with modern technology.
Students who presented outstanding ideas on various themes under the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’ were also felicitated by the Chief Minister. Mayuh Bhandari and Ravina were declared winners in the category of ‘Education and Youth Opportunities’; Sharon Kapoor in ‘Environment, Forests and Disaster Resilience’; Satish Kumar in ‘Health and Public Services’; Mahi Balai in ‘Migration and Employment in Hilly Areas’; Shritika Rawat in ‘Roads, Connectivity and Infrastructure’; Priyanshu Sajwan in ‘Technology and Good Governance’; Drishti Chauhan in ‘Tourism and Local Economy’; and Anushka Negi in ‘Women and Child Welfare’.
Congratulating all the selected students, Dhami said 2,67,744 students from across Uttarakhand had shared their essays, ideas and suggestions as part of the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’ campaign.
He said the participation of such a large number of students demonstrated that the youth of Uttarakhand were aware and serious about the future and development of their state. Through the campaign, students had offered suggestions on several important issues, including education, healthcare, tourism, roads, forests and the environment, sports, migration, self-employment, startups and the creation of new employment opportunities in villages.
The Chief Minister said the ideas and innovations of young people could play an important role in building a developed Uttarakhand.
Continuous dialogue between government and youth
Dhami emphasised the need to maintain continuous dialogue between the government and young people. Referring to interactions between senior IAS officers and students during the programme, he said such an exchange of ideas between the administration and youth could contribute to new thinking and better policy-making.
He said the younger generation was rapidly moving forward with technology, innovation and new ideas. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has set a goal of building a developed India by 2047, and today’s youth would have an important role in achieving this objective.
The Chief Minister said Uttarakhand’s youth had no shortage of talent or potential and that what was needed was to provide them with the right opportunities, direction and a transparent system.
Focus on AI, robotics and modern skills
Dhami said that in a changing environment, it was essential to connect young people with artificial intelligence, robotics, digital technologies and modern demand-based skills.
He said the government’s objective was not merely to prepare young people for employment but also to encourage them to create employment through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
Industrial and economic activities are being expanded to create greater employment and livelihood opportunities in the hill regions, he said.
The Chief Minister urged students to dream big, work consistently and have faith in their abilities. He said there was no shortcut to success and continuous hard work was essential to achieving one’s goals.
Recalling former President and Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Dhami encouraged students to dream big and work with complete dedication to turn those dreams into reality. He said the youth were Uttarakhand’s greatest strength and that their energy, innovation and hard work would play a significant role in taking the state to new levels of development.
He also congratulated the entire School Education Department team for successfully organising the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’ campaign and essay competition.
Students share suggestions on state development
During the interaction, students shared suggestions on various issues related to the development of Uttarakhand and also sought information about government schemes being implemented in different sectors.
Anmol Pramar from Uttarkashi suggested that arrangements should be made to ensure that information about government self-employment schemes reaches people at the village level. He also suggested providing career counselling to students in schools along with information about government schemes.
Vaishnavi from Rudrapur suggested creating a ‘Knowledge Bank’ to preserve and utilise the knowledge and experience of senior citizens.
Kasis from Kalsi highlighted the vast potential of Uttarakhand in the field of medicinal plants. She suggested that the state could establish a distinctive identity in the global market by promoting the sector.
Bharat from Almora said Uttarakhand had immense potential in tourism. He suggested studying best practices followed globally in the tourism sector and adapting them to the specific circumstances of the state.
Secretary Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Chandresh Kumar, Jyoti Yadav, Dheeraj Garbyal, C. Savishankar, Additional Secretary Alok Kumar Pandey, Banshidhar Tiwari, Sandeep Tiwari, Namami Bansal, Jharna Kamthan, Director General of Education Akanksha Konde and officials from various departments were present on the occasion.
