Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hoisted the national flag at the state’s main Independence Day function held at Parade Ground, Dehradun, marking the 79th Independence Day.
Honouring Freedom Fighters’ Families and Officials
On this occasion, the Chief Minister honoured the families of freedom fighters and visited a photo exhibition showcasing India’s journey to independence. He presented the President’s Distinguished Service Medal to Additional Director General of Police Ajay Prakash Anshuman. Several officers were recognised with the Chief Minister’s Meritorious Service Medals, including Shweta Chaube (Commandant, IRB-II, Dehradun), Yogesh Chandra (Deputy SP), Vipin Chandra Pathak (Inspector), Narendra Singh Bisht (Inspector), Rakesh Chandra Bhatt (Sub-Inspector), Ajay Prakash Semwal (Leading Fireman), and Sunit Kumar (Head Constable).
In addition, commendations for distinguished service were awarded to Shekhar Chandra Suyal (Additional SP), Rajendra Singh Kholia (Inspector), Kailash Chandra Bhatt (Inspector), Manohar Singh Rawat (Sub-Inspector), Omkant Bhushan (Sub-Inspector), Deepak Kumar (ASI), Gopal Ram (Head Constable), Amarjeet (Constable), and Rahul (Constable).
Outstanding athletes such as Priya Rana, Manisha Chauhan, Rahul Sarnaliya, Amisha Chauhan, Visham Kashyap, Amit Belwal, and Mahak Chauhan were also felicitated.
Key Announcements by the CM
During his address, CM Dhami made six major announcements:
-
Government to provide two gas cylinders and a stove to schools lacking proper cooking facilities under the Mid-Day Meal scheme.
-
1,010 handpumps to be installed in each assembly constituency facing drinking water shortages.
-
Monthly honorarium for village watchmen and guards to be increased by ₹1,000.
-
Block representatives working under the Sainik Welfare Department to receive a ₹2,000 hike in honorarium.
-
Special academic centres to be established in every district for distance and skill-based higher education, coordinated by Uttarakhand Open University.
-
Regular studies of Himalayan glaciers, including Gangotri, to be undertaken, with disaster management capabilities further strengthened for predictive and proactive action.
Remembering Sacrifices and Highlighting Achievements
CM Dhami paid tribute to martyrs, freedom fighters, and statehood movement activists. He expressed condolences to families affected by recent natural disasters in Uttarkashi and other areas, praising the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, and state agencies for their swift relief and rescue operations.
He highlighted India’s journey towards becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy, achievements in defence, science, agriculture, and infrastructure, and reiterated the vision of making India a fully developed nation by 2047 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Developmental Roadmap for Uttarakhand
The Chief Minister noted progress in education, healthcare, connectivity, and tourism. He said the state is emerging as a hub for religious, wellness, adventure, film, and wedding tourism. The Global Investors Summit brought MoUs worth ₹3.56 lakh crore, with over ₹1 lakh crore projects already moving to the ground.
Key projects include:
-
Development of a Smart Industrial Township at Kichha-Khurpia Farm.
-
A ₹200 crore venture fund for startups with incubation centres.
-
New sports academies under a Sports Legacy Plan across eight cities.
-
New Yoga policy and spiritual economic zones in Garhwal and Kumaon.
-
Boost to agriculture through interest-free loans up to ₹3 lakh, polyhouse expansion, and policies for apple, kiwi, millet, and dragon fruit cultivation.
-
Strengthened tourism policies, temple circuit projects (Kedarkhand & Manaskhand Mandirmala), Yamuna Teerth site at Haripur-Kalsi, and corridor projects in Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Sharda.
Governance and Law & Order
He stressed transparency through portals like Apuni Sarkar, e-Cabinet, e-Office, CM Helpline-1905, and Digital Uttarakhand App. He highlighted infrastructure projects like Delhi-Dehradun Elevated Road, Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail, Vande Bharat Express, and All-Weather Road.
On employment, CM Dhami said over 24,000 youth have secured government jobs in the last four years under the state’s strict anti-cheating law, reducing unemployment by 4.4%. The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rose by 1.3 times, and per capita income increased by 11.33%.
Uttarakhand became the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code and has tightened anti-conversion laws. Over 7,000 acres of government land were freed from encroachment, while “Operation Kalnemi” targeted those defaming Sanatan Dharma.
Distinguished Presence
The event was attended by former CM and ex-Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal, Rajya Sabha MPs Mahendra Bhatt and Naresh Bansal, MLA Khajan Das, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, DGP Deepam Seth, DM Dehradun Savin Bansal, SSP Ajay Singh, and other senior officials.
