Dhami Urges Uttarakhand Diaspora To Help Develop Ancestral Villages

Addressing the third Uttarakhandi Expatriates Conclave in Dehradun, Dhami called upon the diaspora to participate in initiatives related to healthcare, agriculture, tourism, entrepreneurship and self-employment.

He said Uttarakhand could achieve greater progress through coordinated efforts between the government and its diaspora.

"Non-resident natives have brought laurels to the state in various fields through their talent, hard work and achievements. State must benefit from their experience, knowledge, resources, and capabilities," Dhami said.

He expressed gratitude to 30 expatriate Uttarakhand natives who had adopted their ancestral villages and contributed to their development, describing their efforts as an example of their attachment to their homeland and sense of social responsibility.

Highlighting the state's development initiatives, Dhami said Uttarakhand had recorded significant increases in its budget and per capita income in recent years.

He said road, rail and air connectivity was being strengthened across the state, while several major infrastructure projects were under way.

The Song Dam project, aimed at meeting the drinking water requirements of Dehradun and surrounding areas for the next 50 years, was progressing, he said. Work on the Jamrani and Lakhwar dam projects had also advanced, while an agreement had been signed for the Kishau Dam project.

Dhami said work was progressing on an AIIMS satellite centre at Kichha, expansion of Pantnagar Airport and construction of heliports across the state.

Efforts were also being made to connect major towns and tourist destinations through helicopter services to boost tourism, pilgrimage and economic activity, particularly in remote areas.

The Chief Minister said his government was promoting employment opportunities in tourism, agriculture, horticulture and industry.

Highlighting his government's achievements, Dhami said Uttarakhand was the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code. He claimed that transparent recruitment procedures and a stringent anti-cheating law had helped provide government jobs to more than 35,000 young people over the past five years.

He also said more than 13,000 acres of government land had been cleared of encroachments during this period.

On women's empowerment, Dhami said around 3.5 lakh women in Uttarakhand had become 'Lakhpati Didis' through initiatives aimed at strengthening the rural economy.

He announced that additional incentives would be introduced to encourage more women to become financially self-reliant.

The government would also increase the honorarium of guest teachers, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and Bhojan Matas (midday meal cooks), he said.

Calling for collective participation in development, Dhami said government programmes could achieve their full potential only through active cooperation from all sections of society.