PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The two-day Administrative Officers Conference (AOC) commenced at the secretariat on Thursday. The State government outlined its long-term priorities and brought together policymakers, senior administrators and district officials to take forward the roadmap for a developed Uttarakhand@2047.
In his inaugural address, chief secretary Anand Bardhan said that the AOC is an important platform for direct dialogue between officials and policymakers. He said that face-to-face engagement strengthens coordination and brings clarity to regional issues that require policy-level interventions. Identifying tourism, horticulture, health and wellness and urban development as key pillars for the development of the State, the CS stressed on the need for planned and sustainable urbanization to prevent unplanned urban expansion. He said, “Developed Uttarakhand 2047 will be realized only when policymaking adequately reflects ground realities.
Principal secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram gave a presentation on the visioning process for a ‘sustainable Uttarakhand 2047’ and detailed the proposed broad economic pathways to achieve sustainable development from 2025 to 2047. He said that the State’s GSDP is projected to grow from Rs 3.78 lakh crore to Rs 28.92 lakh crore by 2047.
Presenting the State’s financial report card, the finance secretary Dilip Jawalkar also informed about emerging challenges such as the cessation of grants, a slowdown in revenue growth and increased expenditures. He emphasized the need for evidence-based policymaking, realistic projections, life-cycle cost assessments and strengthened coordination among departments to ensure the state’s long-term financial sustainability.
Presenting the roadmap for infrastructure and mobility, secretary Pankaj Pandey highlighted the progress made in improving connectivity over the last 25 years and stressed the need for de-congestion measures, robust and resilient infrastructure and better integration of public transport, especially to boost tourism and economic growth. The additional secretary, Tourism presented the concept of winter tourism. He said that some circuits have been identified in this regard and stressed the need for effective policy convergence to make it operational.
The district magistrates of Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar presented district-level excellence related to herbal and medicinal plants, vibrant villages, horticulture potential, the aspirational district initiative and waste management. They also shared various district-level challenges in the programme.
