Haridwar: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership with accelerating development in the state and helping local products gain international recognition. He said projects worth approximately ₹2.25 lakh crore are currently underway in Uttarakhand.
Before a state Cabinet meeting, Dhami and other ministers performed Ganga puja at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, praying for the Prime Minister’s long life as he completed 25 years in public service.
Addressing the media, Dhami said Modi had served the nation with a commitment to putting the country first. He also highlighted the Prime Minister’s engagement with Uttarakhand, noting that he had visited the state more than 28 times during his tenure as Prime Minister.
According to Dhami, Modi has helped bring Uttarakhand’s cultural traditions and symbols, including the Brahmakamal cap, to wider international attention.
Centre’s Schemes and Infrastructure Push
Dhami highlighted several central government schemes aimed at expanding access to financial services, healthcare, housing, clean cooking fuel and drinking water.
He cited the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission and Eklavya Model Residential Schools as initiatives that have benefited people across different sections of society.
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The Chief Minister also referred to Ayushman Bharat’s health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh, saying it had expanded access to healthcare. He noted that Jan Dhan accounts had helped connect economically weaker sections with formal banking services.
Dhami said the Union government’s infrastructure budget had increased from ₹2 lakh crore to ₹12 lakh crore. He also highlighted initiatives focused on youth entrepreneurship and skill development, alongside programmes such as Lakhpati Didi and Drone Didi aimed at promoting women’s economic empowerment.
Defence Self-Reliance and Support During Disasters
The Chief Minister said the Prime Minister’s government had prioritised the needs of the armed forces. He referred to the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension scheme after a long wait and cited the Surgical Strike and Operation Sindoor as examples of India’s actions against terrorism.
He added that India, which previously depended heavily on imports for defence equipment, was now exporting defence products to several countries.
Dhami also acknowledged the Centre’s support during challenging situations in Uttarakhand, including the Silkyara tunnel incident, the Dharali disaster and the rescue of tourists stranded on the Sahasratal trek.
Road, Ropeway and Dam Projects in Uttarakhand
Highlighting major infrastructure initiatives, Dhami said the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor had reduced travel time between the two cities to approximately two-and-a-half hours. He added that plans were in place to connect Haridwar to the corridor in the future.
The state government is also working towards starting operations at a medical college in Haridwar, he said.
Dhami referred to the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib ropeway projects, along with the Saung, Jamrani and Lakhwar dam projects, as important infrastructure initiatives that had received approval.
He said these projects formed part of the broader development activity underway in Uttarakhand under the state and central governments.
