New Delhi [India], May 24 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday participated in the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog and raised the issues of drainage and lift irrigation in the state.
According to an official release, Chief Minister Dhami said that city drainage issues have become a serious challenge due to the state's rapid urbanisation.
He requested that a special plan be formulated at the national level to develop a sustainable urban drainage system to address this problem.
The Chief Minister also requested that lift irrigation be included in the guidelines of the "PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana."
CM Dhami said that due to Uttarakhand's unique geographical conditions, only about 10 per cent of the mountainous area is currently irrigated.
He informed that special efforts are being made in the state to conserve rainwater by connecting glacier-fed rivers with rain-fed rivers under the "River Linking Project" and constructing check dams and small reservoirs.
The Chief Minister stated that Uttarakhand will host the famous "Maa Nanda Raj Jat Yatra," also known as the Mountain Mahakumbh, in 2026 and the Kumbh Mela in 2027 in Haridwar.
He sought support to make these events "grand and divine" and emphasised the importance of the demographic dividend in building a developed India.
He said that harnessing this dividend within a limited timeframe is necessary, and the coming ten years are crucial for the state to fully benefit from this advantage.
Keeping this in mind, special focus is being given to promoting self-employment at various levels in the state.
The Chief Minister pointed out that although the primary sector contributes only 9.3 per cent to Uttarakhand's GDP, about 45 per cent of the population is engaged in it.
Addressing this issue, the state has started various projects to encourage farmers to shift from low-value agriculture to high-value agriculture, including the Apple Mission, Kiwi Mission, Dragon Fruit Mission, Millet Mission, and promotion of aromatic farming.
He said that under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister, India is moving rapidly toward becoming a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047. In this mission, the Uttarakhand government is also working with full determination while maintaining sound financial management and fiscal discipline.
The state economy has grown by approximately 1.5 times in the last three years. In the 2023-24 SDG ranking released by NITI Aayog, Uttarakhand secured first position, and in the CARE Ratings report published this year, the state ranked second among small states in governance and financial management.
Under the Prime Minister's guidance, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) law has been implemented in the state. In the last three and a half years, over 23,000 youth in the state have secured government jobs.
The Chief Minister mentioned that the 38th National Games held in Uttarakhand were organised with the theme of "Green Games," in line with the Prime Minister's Net Zero vision.
In these games, about 4,000 medals were prepared by recycling electronic waste, and solar energy was used to fulfil all energy requirements. The event successfully prevented the emission of approximately 4,000 to 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
He also noted that the success of the Winter Tourism initiative under the Prime Minister's guidance has benefited the state's tourism sector significantly, especially after the PM's visit to Harshil and Mukhba.
The Chief Minister added that a comprehensive policy has been created and implemented at the grassroots level to promote adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and high-end tourism in the state.
Uttarakhand is focusing on sustainable and inclusive development based on innovation and technology. He also stated that the state has initiated the release of Gross Environment Product Index (GEP), similar to GDP, to help achieve a better balance between the economy and the environment. A Geothermal Energy Policy will soon be implemented in the state.
The Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme has also been launched, with beneficiaries earning over one lakh rupees per month.