PM Modi Chairs The Tenth Meeting Of Governing Council Of NITI Aayog
Uttarakhand CM Dhami shares that the state’s economy has grown 1.5 times in the past three years
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, participated in the tenth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the meeting, the Chief Minister raised several crucial issues and development priorities for the state.
Key Requests and Recommendations
Urban Drainage: Highlighting the challenges posed by rapid urbanization, the Chief Minister urged for the formulation of a national-level sustainable drainage plan for urban areas.
Lift Irrigation: He requested the inclusion of lift irrigation systems under the PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana, citing the unique geographical challenges of Uttarakhand where only 10% of hilly areas are currently irrigated.
Major Religious and Cultural Events
The Chief Minister sought central support for:
- Maa Nanda Raj Jat Yatra (Mountain Maha Kumbh) in 2026
- Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2027
- He called for making these events “grand and divine.”
Demographic Dividend and Self-Employment
Emphasizing the next decade as crucial to harnessing the demographic dividend, he said that the state is actively working to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship among youth.
Agriculture Transformation
- Noting that while agriculture contributes just 9.3% to the state’s GDP, 45% of the population is dependent on it, he outlined several initiatives:
- High-Value Agriculture Missions: Apple, Kiwi, Dragon Fruit, and Millet Missions.
- Aromatic Agriculture Promotion: To improve farmer income and land use efficiency.
Economic and Governance Achievements
- The Chief Minister shared that the state’s economy has grown 1.5 times in the past three years.
- Uttarakhand ranked 1st in the 2023–24 NITI Aayog SDG Index.
- Secured 2nd position in the CareAge Rating Report for good governance and financial management.
- Uniform Civil Code implemented successfully.
- Over 23,000 youth secured government jobs in the last 3.5 years.
Green Initiatives and Tourism Development
- 38th National Games were organized as “Green Games”:
- 4,000 medals made from recycled e-waste.
- Entire energy needs met via solar energy.
- Prevented 4,000–5,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
Tourism Boost: The Prime Minister’s winter visit to Harshil and Mukhba significantly enhanced winter tourism.
Comprehensive policies have been launched to promote adventure, eco, and high-end tourism.
Innovative Development Models
- Introduced Gross Environment Product (GEP) Index, promoting harmony between economy and environment.
- Soon to implement Geothermal Energy Policy.
- Mukhyamantri Solar Swarojgar Yojana already showing results, with beneficiaries earning over ₹1 lakh per month.
