PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Kedarkantha Winter festival in Sankri (Uttarkashi) on Wednesday. Addressing the festival, the CM called for public cooperation in making winter tourism a mass movement and to make Uttarakhand prosperous and self-reliant. He said winter tourism will lay a strong foundation for a self-reliant Uttarakhand. The CM inaugurated the event by flagging off a tourist group bound for the Kedarkantha peak. On this occasion, he interacted with local residents and tourists and also visited stalls set up by various departments at the Winter Festival. He said that Sankri is not just a village, but a living museum of Uttarakhand’s folk culture. Expressing gratitude for the local people’s affection and enthusiasm upon his first visit to Sankri, he said that the traditional architecture, folk culture, and simple mountain lifestyle reflect Uttarakhand’s unique identity. He said that Kedarkantha, Harshil, Auli, Munsyari and Sankri are witnessing unprecedented enthusiasm for winter tourism. This is creating new employment opportunities locally. Youth are becoming self-reliant through trekking guides, homestays, hotels, and other tourism-related jobs, and migration to these areas has decreased. He said that winter tourism will provide a new market for folk artists, handicrafts, traditional cuisine, and local products. The CM said that the state government is working for all round development of the State. Referring to the Silkyara Tunnel accident, the Chief Minister said that the 17-day rescue operation that safely evacuated 41 workers is a testament to the government’s sensitivity and determination. He added that with the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code, anti-copying laws, strict land laws and a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, Uttarakhand is establishing itself as one of the country’s leading states. Local MLA Durgeshwar Lal said that the Winter Festival organised in Sankari, the center point of many famous tourist places like Har Ki Dun, Kedar Kantha, Bharadarsar, Devkyara, Chainsheel and Sarutal, will give a new direction to the tourism development of the area.
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