Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], November 1 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Saturday that Silver Jubilee celebrations will be organised across the state to mark 25 years of its formation.
Addressing a press conference at Bharatiya Janata Party's state headquarters here, he said various programmes will be held throughout the state from November 1 to November 11.
The Chief Minister paid tribute to the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recalling that it was during his tenure that Uttarakhand was formed as a separate state. He said it is a matter of pride for all that Uttarakhand has completed a remarkable journey of 25 years and is now establishing new milestones in development.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented a vision of a developed and self-reliant India by 2047. The year 2050 will mark the Golden Jubilee of Uttarakhand's statehood. For the next 25 years, the state government will move forward with a new roadmap.
He also paid homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at the nation's borders.
He informed that as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations, a special session of the Legislative Assembly will be held in Dehradun on November 3 and 4. President Droupadi Murmu will address the House on November 3. This special session will deliberate on Uttarakhand's progress, discuss experiences from the past 25 years, and set the direction for the future, a release said.
The main statehood day function will be held on November 9 which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The central themes of the Silver Jubilee celebrations will include culture, tourism, youth power, the diaspora, and statehood activists.
The Chief Minister emphasised that this is not merely a government event, but a festival of public participation. He appealed to every citizen and district to be part of the celebrations. He said that the Silver Jubilee year is not just an occasion of festivity but also of introspection and renewed commitment. During this period, a blueprint for the next 25 years will be presented, with the goal of building a prosperous, self-reliant, and empowered Uttarakhand.
Highlighting the achievements of recent years, the Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand has become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Along with this, laws on land reform, anti-conversion, anti-cheating (in recruitment exams), and anti-riot measures have been enacted to ensure good governance. The government has also provided 10% reservation for statehood agitators in government jobs, 30% reservation for women, and 33% reservation for women in cooperative societies.
He added that over the last four years, more than 26,000 youths have been given government jobs. During the Global Investors Summit, MoUs worth Rs 3.56 lakh crore were signed, and investments exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore have already been grounded. For the first time, the state's budget has crossed Rs 1 lakh crore.
Mentioning progress in health, women's empowerment, and social security, he said 58 lakh Ayushman cards have been distributed, maternal mortality has significantly declined, over 1.65 lakh women have become self-reliant under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, and old-age pension has been increased to Rs 1,500.
The Chief Minister noted that the state's economy has grown 26 times, and per capita income has increased 17 times since its formation. In the field of religious and cultural tourism, the Kedarnath reconstruction, Badrinath Master Plan, and the Manaskhand Temple Mala Mission are progressing rapidly. Projects like the Delhi-Dehradun Elevated Road and the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway Line will give new momentum to the state's development.
He also said that the government is working to curb migration and promote border-area development through initiatives such as the Vibrant Village Programme, Smart Industrial Township, and the Chief Minister's Migration Prevention Scheme.