Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday inaugurated the “Pravasi Uttarakhandi Conference” organized as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the establishment of the state at Doon University. On this occasion, one minute silence was also observed as a tribute to those who lost their lives in disasters in various areas of the state.
Addressing the conference, the Chief Minister said that the migrants are taking the culture, traditions and pride of motherland of Uttarakhand Devbhoomi to new heights. Migrant Uttarakhandis are the true brand ambassadors of Devbhoomi. He said that the intimacy reflected in the unique folk culture, language and dialect of Uttarakhand connects us all over the world. He said that wherever the migrant Uttarakhandis live, they carry with them the culture of Devbhoomi and the fragrance of their soil. The state government has constituted the Pravasi Uttarakhand Council for this purpose so that their suggestions and experiences can be included in the mainstream of the development of the state.
The Chief Minister said that many migrants of the state are contributing to the development by adopting their own villages. He said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Uttarakhand government is continuously moving towards the goal of “Developed India, Developed Uttarakhand”. He said the state has made remarkable progress in sectors like education, health, roads, sports, drinking water and air connectivity. Schemes like “One District Two Products”, “House of Himalayas”, “State Millet Mission”, “New Tourism Policy”, “Wed in Uttarakhand” and “Solar Self-Employment Scheme” have brought new energy to the local economy.
The Chief Minister said that the state has secured first position in the country in the NITI Aayog’s ranking in Sustainable Development Goals. Uttarakhand getting the “Achievers” category in “Ease of Doing Business” and “Leaders” category in “Startup Ranking” is the result of the well-planned efforts of the state. He said that the state government is fully committed to maintaining cultural values and demographic balance. The country’s strictest anti-copying law has been implemented in the state, as a result of which more than 26 thousand youth have received government services in the last four years.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is working on a policy of “zero tolerance” against corruption, under which more than 200 corrupt people have been sent to jail in four years. He said that the aim of the state government is that by the Golden Jubilee year, Uttarakhand should become such a state where every youth gets respectable employment, migration stops and there is a glorious return of migrants. With the spirit of “development as well as heritage”, the state is moving towards cultural prosperity and economic self-reliance. The Chief Minister called upon the migrant Uttarakhandis to also become participants in this development campaign of the state.
Former Chief Minister and former Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari said that the secret and heritage of our Devbhoomi lies in honesty and hard work. Due to this, a person from Uttarakhand works with his talent, hard work and honesty in the country and abroad. He said that we have to recognize our strength. Today Uttarakhand is among the leading states of the country in many parameters. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also has special attachment towards Uttarakhand. He expressed confidence that all our migrants will always remain connected to their roots and will continuously contribute to the development of the state.
MLA Vinod Chamoli said that many personalities of Uttarakhand have created a special identity on the basis of their work in different parts of the country. He appealed to all the migrant Uttarakhandis to contribute to the development of the state in whatever fields they are proficient. He said that the state government will provide full support to whatever assistance the migrants have to provide in the development of the state.
Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly and expatriate Uttarakhandi Mohan Singh Bisht expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for organizing this conference and said that Uttarakhand is the heritage of our soul and culture. The fragrance of the soil of Uttarakhand, the sweetness of the dialect and the sound of folk dances always resonate in our hearts. He said that Uttarakhand is continuously moving towards progress under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Dhami.
Migrant Uttarakhandi and film actress Himani Shivpuri told that she has adopted her ancestral village in Rudraprayag district. He said that Uttarakhand is a rich state in terms of culture and folk art, hence we have to work continuously towards carrying forward our traditions.
Overseas Uttarakhandi and Rajasthan Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant said that this day of Overseas Uttarakhandi Conference is a celebration of the fragrance of our soil, soul of culture and affinity. He said that mother’s love resides in the cool air of the mountains. Uttarakhand is the land of our faith, hard work and values. He said that today let us all take a pledge together that we will remain connected to our culture and will contribute our full contribution in taking Uttarakhand to new heights.
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan said that today the state is making continuous progress in the fields of education, health, tourism, organic agriculture, industrial development and green energy. With the determination of a strong and prosperous Uttarakhand, the state is moving forward through governance, administration and public participation. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the state government is working rapidly to strengthen the infrastructure. With the successful organization of the 38th National Games, the state has created a new identity as a sports land. The transparent policy and continuous efforts of the government have resulted in rapid growth in the GDP and per capita income of the state.
Purnesh Gururani, an expatriate Uttarakhand and director in the Textiles Ministry of the Government of India, said that efforts can be made towards setting up a National Institute of Fashion Designing Center in Uttarakhand. He said that there is vast potential for development of Himalayan Fiber in Uttarakhand. For this, efforts should be made to establish textile parks in both the divisions of the state with the cooperation of the Central Government.
On this occasion, migrant Uttarakhandis presented their suggestions for the development of the state and shared information about the possible contribution they can make to the state. On this occasion, MLA Shri Kishore Upadhyay, Principal Secretary Shri R.K. Sudhanshu, Shri R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Vice Chancellor of Doon University, Prof. Surekha Dangwal, secretaries and migrants from across the country were present.
