Stresses on roadmap of next 25 years, congratulates State for progress made in past 25 years PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched various development projects worth over Rs 8,140 crore during the event held at Forest Research Institute to celebrate 25 years of the State’s foundation here on Sunday. These projects include drinking water, irrigation, technical education, energy, urban development, sports, and skill development. He also released an amount of Rs 62 crore to more than 28,000 farmers directly into their bank accounts under PM Fasal Bima Yojana. The PM also laid the foundation stones of Song Dam Drinking Water project in Dehradun and Jamarani Dam project in Nainital. Modi also released a special stamp series by the Uttarakhand Postal circle highlighting the state’s major pilgrimage sites and cultural symbols. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Modi exhorted the people and government of Uttarakhand to develop the State as the spiritual capital of the world. Congratulating the people of the State on the silver jubilee of foundation of Uttarakhand and the achievements of the past 25 years, Modi said that a roadmap of the next 25 years should be prepared. He said that the Central government is focussing on the Vibrant Villages programme along the borders and added that every vibrant village in Uttarakhand can become a small tourism hub, promoting homestays, local cuisine and culture. Modi said that all mountain districts of Uttarakhand hold significant potential for fruit cultivation and should be developed as horticulture centres. He identified blueberry, kiwi, herbal and medicinal plants as the future of farming. He said that in the past 25 years Uttarakhand has made rapid progress in sectors such as infrastructure, education, industry, tourism, health, power and rural development. The PM said that in 2000, the budget of the State was only Rs 4,000 crore, which has now crossed Rs one lakh crore. In this period the electricity generation in the state has increased fourfold and the length of roads has doubled. He further said that in the last 25 years, the number of engineering colleges in Uttarakhand has increased more than tenfold and there are 10 medical colleges in the State now. In 2000, the vaccine coverage was below 25 per cent but now it has covered all the villages. Emphasising that improved connectivity is linked to the development, the PM averred that projects worth over Rs two lakh crore are currently underway in the state. He mentioned the Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail project, Delhi-Dehradun expressway and ropeways in Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib in this regard. The PM that the people of Uttarakhand had long envisioned a dream that was fulfilled 25 years ago under the leadership of the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said that both the Central and State governments are committed to elevating Uttarakhand’s potential to new heights. He said that the Uttarakhand government has begun providing subsidies in digital currency to apple and kiwi farmers and added that through modern technology, it is now possible to fully track the financial assistance being provided. In his address, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami remembered the role played by the statehood martyrs and former PM Vajpayee for creating Uttarakhand. He said that the State is making rapid strides forward on the path of development. The programme was attended by governor lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh, Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri, former CMs Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Vijay Bahuguna, Trivendra Singh Rawat and cabinet ministers.
About The Author
