Deliberations held on the vision for a developed Uttarakhand by 2047 at the Uttarakhand Development Conclave – my uttarakhand news

A one-day ‘Uttarakhand Development Conclave: Sankalp Viksit Uttarakhand 2047’ (Pledge for a Developed Uttarakhand 2047) was organized on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at Hotel Ramada, Chakrata Road, Dehradun. The event was held under the joint aegis of the Uttarakhand Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance and SRADSTA, with the aim of charting a long-term roadmap to transform Uttarakhand into a developed state by 2047. MDDA, Uttarakhand Tourism, HRDA, BRIDCUL, and ITDA actively participated in the conclave. During the inaugural session, Principal Secretary (Planning) Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram welcomed former Defence Secretary (Government of India) Yogendra Narain, former Chief Secretary (Uttarakhand) N. Ravishankar, retired IAS officer Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, as well as various secretaries and heads of departments. Experts and representatives from diverse sectors deliberated on ‘Viksit Uttarakhand 2047’ and other critical issues related to the state’s growth, aiming to define a long-term trajectory for inclusive, sustainable, robust, and prosperous development. A vision document for the state will be prepared based on the deliberations held during the conclave. While inaugurating the event, Principal Secretary (Planning) Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram stated that the initiative encompasses the state’s current status, potential, challenges, and future priorities. Its objective is to transform Uttarakhand into a developed state in alignment with India’s national goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He noted that while there is no standard definition of ‘developed,’ it is generally understood to imply higher average income, a robust economy, and a high quality of life for citizens. Achieving the vision of a developed Uttarakhand requires leveraging the demographic dividend, increasing the primary sector’s contribution to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), providing high-quality education to students, and making the workforce employable in frontier sectors of the economy. He emphasized the need for hill development, transitioning from low-value agriculture to high-value, market-driven, export-oriented, and processing-based agriculture, promoting urbanization, and intensifying efforts in the social sector. He further stated that work must also be done to shift the primary sector workforce into the manufacturing and service sectors. Dr. Yogendra Narain, former Defence Secretary of the Government of India, shared his views via an online platform. He emphasized heritage conservation, tourism, education, and social responsibility in the context of Uttarakhand. He stated that heritage and cultural preservation should be made an integral part of the state’s development strategy to enable the integration of cultural resources. Heritage-related ventures should be adapted sensitively, incorporating elements such as hospitality and cultural activities. He noted that protected historical areas should be viewed as economic assets that generate employment in tourism and create opportunities for local businesses. The core strength of any state’s planning lies in the integration of its ecological and cultural heritage. Dr. Narain highlighted the importance of restoring water bodies as community spaces and creating green corridors that connect biodiversity parks. He remarked that keeping historical settlements vibrant through a blend of culture and commerce is essential for progressing towards a ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ (Developed India 2047). Regarding educational reforms, he underscored the need to include all postgraduate students in internship programs that facilitate private sector participation. He emphasized adopting a strategy to expand homestay programs to more regions to strengthen the rural economy. He also suggested focusing on modern modes of transport, such as ropeways, rather than heavy transport systems to strengthen villages. He stated that the ultimate goal of development should be the happiness of the people, not merely increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). States should develop strategies and policies to measure national happiness, and this should be included in the recommendations made by the state of Uttarakhand. Former Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, N. Ravishankar, shared his experiences and insights. He recounted his experiences working with panchayats and nagar panchayats (town councils) across various districts during his tenure as the Chairman of the State Finance Commission. He stated that empowering local bodies and the three-tier panchayat system is essential for a developed Uttarakhand. Regarding administrative reforms, he suggested merging several departments to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and ensure that all departments effectively represent the administration. He proposed the formation of a District Planning Committee at the district level, chaired by the District Panchayat President. Additionally, he suggested appointing the Chief Development Officer as the Chief Executive Officer of the District Panchayat to facilitate planned development at the district level. Three key sessions on various topics were held during the conclave. The first session focused on infrastructure, connectivity, disaster resilience, and economic development for a ‘Developed Uttarakhand 2047.’ Discussions covered topics such as mountain roads and tunnels, urban development, housing, renewable energy, ropeways, multi-modal transport, and logistics. The second session focused on high-value, market-driven development through climate-resilient agriculture and allied sectors. Deliberations included climate-smart agriculture and horticulture, high-value crop diversification, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), value chains for medicinal and aromatic plants, market linkages, rural enterprises, and livelihood opportunities for youth and women. The third session addressed the theme of a ‘Future-Ready Uttarakhand,’ focusing on startups, innovation, technology, and skill development. The conclave deliberated on the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, focusing on technological innovations to address Himalayan challenges, skill development, rural entrepreneurship, and integrating women and youth into the entrepreneurial fold. Distinguished participants—including former Chief Secretary N. Ravishankar; Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, former Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration; Shatrughn Singh, CEO of the SETU Commission; Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Principal Secretary (Planning); Dr. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Secretary (PWD); Chandresh Yadav, Secretary (Panchayati Raj); Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, Secretary (Housing); Deepak Kumar, Secretary (Program Implementation); Narendra Bhandari, Additional Secretary (Planning); Banshidhar Tiwari, Director General (Information); Alok Pandey, Director (ITDA); Pankaj Yadav, Chief General Manager (NABARD); Dr. Lakshmikant, Director (Vivekananda Institute of Hill Agriculture); Dr. RP Singh, Director (IIRS); Dr. Nipendra Chauhan, Director (CAP); Prof. Safal Batra (IIM Kashipur); Sonia Garg, Chairperson (CII); Rohit Mathur (Heritage Aviation); Dr. BS Negi, Advisor (APEDA) and former Director of Horticulture; and the Director of BEF—shared their insights and offered suggestions to achieve the goal of a developed Uttarakhand. Narendra Bhandari, Additional Secretary (Planning), delivered the welcome address, while Dr. Kunwar Raj Asthana, President of SRADSTA, presented an overview of the program. Dr. Manoj Kumar Pant, Additional CEO of CPPGG, proposed the vote of thanks. During the closing ceremony, individuals who had made significant contributions were honored with the 5th IGSI Uttarakhand Ratnashri Award. The awardees included Dr. Geeta Khanna, Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights; Dr. Bhanu Duggal, Vice-Chancellor of HNB Uttarakhand Medical Education University; Dr. Dharam Buddhi, Vice-Chancellor of Uttaranchal University; Dr. Manish Prateek, Vice-Chancellor of GRD University; Ajay Kumar Singh, Managing Director of UJVNL; Dr. Trupti Semwal, Chairperson of Mayadevi University; KS Chauhan, ACEC of the Film Development Council; Manish Kumar, Additional Director of STPI; and Badri Chand Negi, Deputy Director of the Information Department. The honors were jointly presented by Principal Secretary Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Dr. Ajay Saxena, and Chinmaya Mission Secretary Sadhana Jayaraj.