Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 28 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday inaugurated the Maa Nanda Devi Mela 2025 of Almora via a virtual medium. On this occasion, while congratulating the people of Almora and the entire state, he said that this fair is a symbol of our folk faith, culture and identity.
The Chief Minister said that this is not just a religious event, but also a platform for economic, cultural and social empowerment. He also stated that preparations have begun to celebrate the Maa Nanda Rajjat Yatra, scheduled for 2026, in a grand manner.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that our government will leave no stone unturned to make this Yatra, which is organised once in 12 years, divine and grand. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Amritkal of the revival of India's glorious cultural heritage is going on.
The way our religious heritage is being nurtured today makes it difficult to express it in words. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, our state government is working continuously and with determination to promote the overall development of Uttarakhand, as well as to reconstruct religious places and preserve our cultural heritage and identity.
The Chief Minister stated that we are making efforts to revive and beautify the mythological temples of our Kumaon region under the Manaskhand Parvat Mala Mission. Under this project, various works are underway for beautification as per the master plan while preserving the original form of the temple complex in Jageshwar.
For this, while an amount of Rs 146 crore has been approved by our government in the first phase, approval has also been given for the development works of the second phase.
The Chief Minister stated that while our government is constructing the new building of the Base Hospital, a 50-bed hospital is also being built in the first phase of the 100-bed sub-district hospital in Someshwar.
Along with this, a 50-bed state-of-the-art critical care block is also being established for the treatment of patients suffering from serious diseases. The Almora Women's Hospital is also undergoing an upgrade at a cost of approximately Rs 5 crore.
The Chief Minister stated that under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, 248 km of roads have been constructed in Almora district over the last three years. Additionally, under the Public Works Department, various motorways have been constructed and renovated at a cost of crores of rupees.
On the one hand, the road connecting Almora, Pauri Garhwal, and Rudraprayag has been constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 400 crore. At the same time, the widening of the Almora-Bageshwar road has also been approved at a cost of about Rs 922 crore.
The Chief Minister stated that under the "Udaan Yojana", we have also initiated helicopter services with the aim of promoting tourism in Almora and easing traffic congestion. Apart from this, along with the lift pumping scheme at a cost of more than Rs 12 crore in Sadi Maher village, parking construction work is also underway at over 25 locations in the district.
The Chief Minister stated that an administrative building is also being constructed at the Soban Singh Jeena University in Almora. Additionally, we are working on a plan to construct a helipad in Chaukhutia, near Dol Ashram. Not only this, but our government has also established a drug de-addiction centre in Almora towards realising the goal of 'Drug Free Uttarakhand'.
The Chief Minister said that our government is working with determination to preserve the cultural values and demography of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. On the one hand, we have implemented strict anti-conversion and anti-riot laws in the state. We have taken strict action against land jihad in the state and freed more than six and a half thousand acres of government land from land jihadis. Along with this, the sealing of approximately 250 illegal madrasas has also led to the removal of more than 500 illegal structures. Apart from this, it is our government which has brought strict land laws for the first time in the state, due to which the land mafia will no longer be able to grab the lands of our farmers. Additionally, we will also abolish the Madrasa Board in the state. After its implementation, on or after July 1, 2026, those madrasas in our state that do not teach the syllabus of our government board will be closed, he said.
The Chief Minister announced that the reconstruction and beautification work of the historic Maa Nanda Devi Temple will be undertaken on a large scale, in accordance with the traditional mountain style. The government will also establish "Nanda Devi Handicraft Village" in Dinapani with the cooperation of various organisations. This craft village will also promote various copper items, Aipan art, woodcraft and other traditional handicrafts including products made by local women entrepreneurs under the "Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana" and these products can also be linked to the national and international markets.