*The Pledge to Restore the Glory of ‘Devbhoomi’ is Being Fulfilled: CM Dhami*
*CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Speaks at the ‘4 Years of Excellence’ Event Held at the Parade Ground to Mark the Government’s Fourth Anniversary*
*Lays Foundation Stones and Inaugurates Various Development Projects; Also Inspects Development Exhibition*
On Monday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the “4 Years of Excellence” program, held at the Parade Ground to mark the completion of four years of the government’s tenure. On this occasion, he also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various development projects.
Extending his greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of Navratri, the Chief Minister remarked that exactly four years ago, the citizens of the state shattered all prevailing myths and once again granted them the opportunity to serve the state. Subsequently, during the oath-taking ceremony held at this very ground, he had pledged to restore the glory of ‘Devbhoomi’ (the Land of Gods) in accordance with the dreams of the statehood activists. Now, four years later, he can proudly assert that this pledge is rapidly moving towards its realization. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that, in 2021, speaking from the divine land of Baba Kedarnath, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi declared: “The third decade of the 21st century will be Uttarakhand’s decade.” Consequently, the state government is working with a firm resolve to give concrete shape to these auspicious words uttered by the Prime Minister. He noted that, under the able leadership of the Prime Minister, the state government has, over the past four years, strived to elevate the standard of living of its citizens by strengthening road, education, health, rail, and air connectivity. Simultaneously, it has presented a vision for the holistic development of the state through various policies and schemes. Thanks to these very efforts, the state has, over the last four years, witnessed several historic achievements that were previously considered impossible for any small state. The Chief Minister highlighted that, for the first time, meetings for a global summit like the G-20 were successfully hosted in the state, alongside the grand organization of the National Games. Furthermore, a Global Investment Summit was organized in Uttarakhand for the first time, attracting investment proposals worth over ₹3.76 lakh crore—of which investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore have already been successfully implemented on the ground.
*Presentation of the Government’s Progress Report*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that over the past four years, the state’s economy has grown by more than 1.5 times. Furthermore, in the last year alone, the state’s GSDP witnessed an increase of 7.23 percent, while per capita income rose by 41 percent. During this period, over 20,000 new industries were established in the state, and the number of startups surged from 700 to 1,750. Moreover, during this same timeframe, more than 265,000 women—mothers and sisters—have become “Lakhpati Didis” (women earning over one lakh rupees annually). Thanks to the state government’s sustained efforts, a 44 percent increase has been recorded in “reverse migration”—the return of people to the state.
*Appreciation from the Centre*
The Chief Minister noted that the state government’s efforts have received official validation, as Uttarakhand secured the first position in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index for the year 2023-24, released by NITI Aayog. In the “Ease of Doing Business” rankings, Uttarakhand achieved the status of an “Achiever,” while in the “Startup Rankings,” it was placed in the “Leaders” category. Additionally, in the India Innovation Index report released by NITI Aayog, the state secured the second position within the category of Himalayan states. For the past four consecutive years, the state has held the prestigious distinction of being the “Most Film-Friendly State” in the country. The Chief Minister further highlighted that today, Uttarakhand has received various awards across several national indices, including the National Logistics Index, the State Startup Ecosystem Index, and the State Energy and Green Index. The state has secured the second rank nationwide in the “State Mining Readiness Index” released by the Central Government, in recognition of the reforms implemented in the mining sector. Furthermore, the state has been awarded a prize of ₹200 crore for this achievement. He stated that it is a direct result of the strict and transparent decisions taken by the government that departments such as Excise and Mining are now generating manifold revenue for the state compared to the past.
*A New Work Culture Developed*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the state government is working continuously and with full commitment to transform Dehradun into a modern and developed city. Currently, work is underway in Dehradun on various development projects costing over ₹1,400 crore. The Chief Minister remarked that during the tenure of previous governments, there were only announcements; back then, out of every rupee sent by the Centre, only 15 paise would actually reach the people. However, today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ushered in a new work culture in the country and has worked to weed out brokers and middlemen from the governance system. Consequently, the state government today ensures that any project for which it lays the foundation stone is completed within the stipulated timeframe and subsequently inaugurated.
*30,000 Youths Secure Government Jobs*
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami noted that, in the past, the dreams of talented youths in the state were shattered due to cheating and paper leaks. Therefore, to curb those who toyed with the future of the youth, the state government introduced a strict anti-cheating law. As a result, over the last four and a half years, more than 30,000 youths in the state have secured government jobs. Today, more than 100 members of the “cheating mafia” are behind bars. The Chief Minister added that, previously, action against corruption in the state was limited to the “small fish”; however, today, even the major accused are being arrested.
*Efforts to Preserve the Divinity of ‘Devbhoomi’*
The Chief Minister stated that the state government is striving to preserve the demographic balance of the region in order to safeguard the sanctity of ‘Devbhoomi’ (the Land of Gods). To this end, the government has, on one hand, implemented strict anti-conversion and anti-riot laws within the state. He further added that the state government… Taking strict action, the administration has reclaimed over 12,000 acres of government land. Additionally, ‘Operation Kalnemi’ was launched against individuals who were defrauding the public by operating under false guises. He stated that, by implementing the Uniform Civil Code, the State Government has established a single, uniform legal framework applicable to citizens of all religious faiths—a move that has been widely appreciated by people with a nationalist outlook across the country. The Chief Minister further announced that, starting this July, only curricula recognized by the government board will be taught in all Madrassas across Uttarakhand.
*Attendance*
Earlier, the Chief Minister participated in a roadshow extending from Kanak Chowk to the venue of the event, where he also inspected exhibitions organized by various government departments. Present at the ceremony were Cabinet Ministers Subodh Uniyal, Ganesh Joshi, Khajan Das, and Ram Singh Kaira; Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal; Mayor Saurath Thapliyal; and MLAs Sahdev Pundir, Umesh Sharma Kau, Vinod Chamoli, Savita Kapoor, Munna Singh Chauhan, and Brijbhushan Gairola. Also in attendance were Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan, Director General of Police Deepam Seth, Principal Secretaries Dr. R.K. Sudhanshu, L. Fanai, and Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary S.N. Pandey, Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, and Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal.