my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 2 Feb: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today described the Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday as an important milestone in the journey towards building a developed and self-reliant India. He claimed that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the pace and impact of development in the country and the state would be further accelerated by this Budget.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP State headquarters here, today, the CM said that the Union Budget presented by Sitharaman under the guidance of the PM is a comprehensive and aspiration-oriented document that provides a clear roadmap for Atmanirbhar Bharat. He also stressed that the Budget lays a strong foundation for the country’s future on three robust pillars of economic strength, social balance and environmental sustainability. Terming it a budget aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat, Dhami stated that it ensures an enhanced role for agriculture, rural development and skill creation in national progress, with a clearly articulated objective that the benefits of development should not remain confined to cities alone but must reach villages and frontier regions equally. The CM also emphasised that such inclusive development is the key to India’s social future and that this budget takes the country from local to global.
Dhami said the economic roadmap for the coming financial year is based on schemes centred on youth, women and the entrepreneurs, which will propel the nation from being a job-seeker to becoming a job-creator. He observed that the Union Government has made it clear that population will not be India’s weakness but its greatest strength and therefore this Budget can rightly be described as a welfare-oriented Budget. The emphasis laid on environment-friendly development, sustainable projects for hill states and eco-tourism will ensure balanced and responsible growth for both the nation and Uttarakhand. He said this is a Budget that reflects India’s journey from reform to performance and serves as a roadmap for a secure, prosperous and self-reliant future.
The CM further stated that this is the first Union Budget prepared in the Kartavya Bhavan (the new central complex that houses several union ministries in New Delhi) and is inspired by three key duties which will remain central to the priorities of both the Centre and the states. Whether it is enhancing productivity and competitiveness, accelerating economic growth amid global uncertainties, or empowering citizens as active partners in India’s prosperity by ensuring access to resources, facilities and opportunities for every family, community and region in line with the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, the Budget addresses all these dimensions comprehensively, he asserted.
Describing the Budget as an excellent example of balancing development with fiscal discipline, Dhami said it reflects a clear intent to impart fresh momentum to the economy through expansion of production capacities, investment in new strategic sectors and revival of traditional industries. He pointed out that special emphasis has been placed on strengthening roads, railways, logistics and core infrastructure, which will transform cities into robust centres of trade and economic activity.
The CM said the special focus on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities opens vast possibilities for balanced and regional development for states like Uttarakhand. He added that efforts will be made to ensure large-scale participation of the state in the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0. To make the MSME sector global champions, a growth fund of Rs 10,000 crore has been provided, along with concrete provisions such as a Rs 2,000 crore top-up to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Nidhi. These initiatives, he said, hold immense potential for Uttarakhand. He added that schemes such as the Divyangjan Skill Scheme, technology-based initiatives for farmers, the National Handloom Programme, Mega Textile Parks and new training institutions for skilled professionals will further strengthen inclusive development.
Dhami said by promoting startups, deep-tech, artificial intelligence, green technology and the innovation ecosystem, the Budget is preparing India for the economy of the future, in which the youth of Uttarakhand will ensure greater participation. Similarly, the focus on green growth, climate commitments and clean energy will prove to be a major step towards sustainable development in the state.
Highlighting women empowerment measures, the CM termed the expansion of the Lakhpati Didi programme and the SHE Mart retail outlets for local products as extremely significant for strengthening women. He said this would enable women to make a decisive transition from credit-linked livelihoods to entrepreneurship. The proposal to establish at least one women’s hostel in every district will be especially beneficial for hilly and remote districts like those in Uttarakhand.
Referring to welfare decisions, Dhami appreciated the proposal to provide basic customs duty exemption on 17 medicines and pharmaceuticals, the availability of over 20,000 veterinarians, and the introduction of a credit-linked capital subsidy assistance scheme for private-sector veterinary specialists, para-veterinary colleges, animal hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and breeding facilities.
From the perspective of Uttarakhand, the CM claimed that based on the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, the state is likely to receive approximately Rs 23,000–24,000 crore from central taxes and schemes in 2026–27. This amount would be Rs 1,841 crore higher than the previous year and will provide additional resources to accelerate infrastructure development, investment and employment generation.
Dhami claimed that a special focus on hill states signals a commitment to balanced development keeping in view the geographical realities of Uttarakhand. Referring to the important announcement of mountain trails for hill states, he said this initiative would provide a new direction to tourism, local livelihoods and youth employment. The mountain trekking trails project will promote adventure and eco-tourism in Uttarakhand, create employment opportunities for local youth, and open new markets for homestays, guides, transport services and local products. In collaboration with IIM, a pilot project will be launched to upgrade the skills of 10,000 guides across 20 tourist destinations through standardised, high-quality 12-week training courses in hybrid mode. He said all these initiatives would bring immense livelihood and employment opportunities for the youth of the state.
The CM said that a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid would be established to prepare digital documentation of all sites of cultural, spiritual and heritage significance, while nut-bearing fruits such as almond, walnut and apricot would be promoted in mountainous regions. Emphasising the focus on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, he said this would enable cities like Dehradun, Haldwani, Rudrapur and Haridwar to emerge as new hubs of economic activity. Through the MSME Growth Fund and heritage industrial clusters, the state’s handloom, handicrafts, AYUSH, food processing and local products will gain access to national and international markets.
He also mentioned the proposal to launch the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj initiative to strengthen khadi, handloom and handicrafts, which will benefit weavers, village industries, the One District One Product initiative and rural youth in both the country and Uttarakhand. The concept of university townships, he said, presents a major opportunity to develop Uttarakhand as a hub of education, research and skill development. The emphasis on green energy and climate-sensitive development is particularly well-suited for a Himalayan state like Uttarakhand.
Describing the Budget as a document that unlocks new development opportunities for a hill state like Uttarakhand, the CM asserted that it will help the state take a new leap in tourism, employment, education and the local economy. He assured that the state government would work diligently to translate this Budget for development, trust and future-building into concrete outcomes on the ground in Devbhoomi.
On the occasion, state general secretary Kundan Parihar, Tarun Bansal, state coordinator of the Budget outreach campaign and state vice-president Anil Goyal, state chief spokesperson Suresh Joshi, state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan, co-incharge Rajendra Negi and social media convenor Himanshu Sangathani were also present.
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