PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that Uttarakhand achieving first place in the NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index is proof that the State’s development journey is moving in the right direction. He averred that development of specific policies for each sector has accelerated the State’s overall development. Dhami was addressing the state-level SDG Achievers Awards ceremony held at the Uday Shankar Dance and Music Academy in Almora on Wednesday. He said that a mountainous state like Uttarakhand faces numerous challenges every year, but balanced and sustainable development is possible only when environment and development go hand in hand. The CM said that with this vision of balance between the ecology and economy, work is being done towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. He said that at one time, Uttarakhand was ranked 10th in the NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index, but according to the latest report, The State has reached the first position in the entire country. The CM said that the state’s GDP has registered a growth of 7.23 per cent and per capita income has increased by 4.1 per cent. Furthermore, Uttarakhand has outperformed the national average by reducing the unemployment rate by a record 4.4 per cent. He said that the positive changes in sectors such as industry, start-ups, helicopter services, highway construction, green energy and power generation over the past four years have resulted in an increase in reverse migration in the State. The CM expressed his pleasure at the recognition of representatives from 32 dynamic industrial institutions that have made significant contributions toward achieving the SDGs. He said these institutions have proven that, despite strong determination and limited resources, extraordinary achievements can be achieved and the journey from ordinary to extraordinary can be accomplished. Union minister of State Ajay Tamta said that the State’s top ranking in the SDG rankings is a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Dhami’s commitments to the State. Principal secretary, Planning and chief executive officer, Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPPGG), R Meenakshi Sundaram elaborated on the concept of SDGs and provided details about the SDG Achievers Award recipients. He also detailed the efforts and achievements made to achieve the state’s first place in the SDG rankings. In the ceremony, 32 organizations, individuals and groups were felicitated for their innovative and sustainable initiatives. It is noteworthy that Rudraprayag secured the first place in the annual ranking of SDGs. Uttarkashi and Nainital secured the second place while Bageshwar, Chamoli and Tehri shared the third place.
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