PM Modi pledges 'Viksit Uttarakhand' in next 25 years
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people of Uttarakhand on its 25th State Foundation Day on Saturday. In a video message, he promised to fulfill the resolution of a "Viksit Uttarakhand" for a "Viksit Bharat" in the next 25 years. "Many congratulations to all my family members of the state on the silver jubilee year of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand," PM Modi said, reiterating the central government's commitment to state development.
Economic progress
PM Modi highlights Uttarakhand's economic growth
PM Modi emphasized Uttarakhand's economic growth, saying it topped last year's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) index. The state's growth rate has increased by over 1.25% in the last few years, he said. The GST contribution from Uttarakhand also increased by 14% and the average annual income touched ₹2.6 lakh. He also requested tourists to keep cleanliness in mind and stay away from single-use plastic during their visits to the state.
State honors
Foundation Day celebrations and Uttarakhand Ratna awards
The 25th Uttarakhand Foundation Day celebrations were graced by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in Dehradun. Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan and Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd) were also present. At the ceremony, CM Dhami conferred the Uttarakhand Ratna Awards to five people for their contributions in different fields. The awardees were CDS Chauhan, folk singer Pritam Bharatwan, Mahesh Kudiyal, Mata Mangala (social service), and Hemant Pandey (film and art).