CM Dhami announces strengthening of Disaster Management dept & regular study of glaciers
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the Disaster Management department of the State will be strengthened for predictive and proactive disaster management and regular studies of the Himalayan glaciers in the State will be carried out. He was addressing people after hoisting the national flag at Parade Ground on the occasion of 79th Independence Day on Friday.
The CM announced that two cooking gas cylinders and one stove will be provided to the schools where these facilities are not available for cooking food under the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme. He also declared that ten hand pumps will be installed in those assembly constituencies where there is difficulty in supply of drinking water.
In another important announcement, the CM said that the honorarium of the village watchman and village guard will be increased by one thousand rupees and that of the block representatives of the Soldier Welfare department by two thousand rupees. He announced setting up of special educational centres operated and coordinated by the Uttarakhand Open University in all the districts for encouraging distance and employment oriented higher education in the state.
In his address the CM remembered the martyrs and freedom fighters and expressed gratitude to the statehood activists. Expressing condolences to all the families affected by the recent natural disasters in various areas of the State including Dharali of Uttarkashi, Dhami said the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and various departments of the State government carried out relief and rescue work with promptness and dedication.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving ahead on the path of becoming a developed nation by the year 2047. The Indian economy is the fourth largest economy in the world. He said that the entire world witnessed India’s power and capability during Operation Sindoor.
The CM averred that a detailed roadmap for the all-round development of Uttarakhand has been prepared through specific policies in more than 30 areas and many new schemes have been implemented in the state. The state is rapidly emerging as a special hub of the country in the field of religious, wellness and adventure tourism and has become a film shooting and wedding destination.
He said that MoUs worth Rs 3.56 lakh crore were signed during the Global Investors Summit and in one and a half years, projects worth more than Rs one lakh crore have been brought to the ground. A smart industrial township is being developed on one thousand acres of land at Khurpiya Farm in Kichha and the State government has created a venture fund of Rs 200 crore and incubation centre to develop a startup-friendly ecosystem in the State.
He said that in the 38th National Games organized in the State, Uttarakhand created history by winning 103 medals and securing 7th position in the medals tally. The CM said that a Sports Legacy plan has been envisioned under which 23 sports academies will be established in eight cities of the State. A new Yoga policy has been implemented in the state. To promote Ayurveda and naturopathy, Yoga and spiritual tourism in the State, one ‘Spiritual Economic Zone’ is being established in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions.
Dhami said that the House of Himalayas brand has proved to be effective in bringing all the organic products of the state under one roof.
He said that along with providing interest-free loans up to Rs three lakh to the farmers, a subsidy of up to 80 per cent is being given under the Farm Machinery Bank scheme for purchasing agricultural equipment. He said that many important schemes like new Apple policy, Kiwi policy, State Millet Mission and ‘Dragon Fruit policy have been implemented in the state at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore.
The CM said a new Tourism policy has been formulated and work is progressing rapidly on Kedarkhand and Manaskhand Mandirmala mission. He said that the infrastructure of the State is being strengthened through Delhi-Dehradun elevated road, Vande Bharat express, Rishikesh-Karnprayag Rail project, Bharatmala and Parvatmala projects, Amrit Yojna and Udaan Yojana.
He claimed that the GSDP of the State has increased by 1.3 times and per capita income by 11.33 percent. The historic step of implementing the “Uniform Civil Code” law has been taken for the first time in the country. The anti-conversion law has been more stringent and more than seven thousand acres of government land has been freed from encroachment.
Former governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal and others attended the programme.
