Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the BTIndia@100 program organized by Business Today, the mega brand of India Today Group, in New Delhi. On this occasion, the Chief Minister, while sharing his views on the topic 'Uttarakhand: Powering India's Industrial Growth', presented the industrial potential of Uttarakhand, investment possibilities, better connectivity, employment opportunities for the youth and the development model of the state before the representatives of the major industries of the country.
The Chief Minister said that after the Global Investors Summit organized in the year 2023, there has been a significant change in the industrial identity of Uttarakhand. Representatives of more than 50 countries participated in this summit organized under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Policy and administrative preparations were already made by the state government to implement the investment proposals without limiting them to just MOUs. He said that with the aim of creating a favorable environment for investors, more than 30 new policies have been made in the state, which have yielded positive results in the form of grounding.
Adequate land available as per requirement
The Chief Minister said that the geographical conditions of Uttarakhand are different from other states. The state has limited large industrial land banks, but areas like Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar have enough land available to meet the needs of industries. Inviting the industry to invest in Uttarakhand, he said that the state government is committed to providing necessary facilities along with land to the investors.
The Chief Minister described the strong connectivity of the state as a big strength for investment. He said that with the opening of Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, the travel time between the national capital and Dehradun has reduced considerably. More than 50 air services are available from Dehradun to major cities of the country. Haridwar is already included in the major industrial areas of the state, while Pantnagar of Udham Singh Nagar has developed as an important center of agricultural as well as industrial activities. The proposed greenfield airport in Pantnagar was also described as important from the point of view of industrial and logistics development.
The Chief Minister said that the benefits of industrial development should not be limited to the plain areas only, for this, industrial activities are being promoted in the hilly districts also. Work is being done towards developing industrial parks in Pauri, Almora and Chamoli. At the same time, efforts are being made to connect local products, small entrepreneurs and traditional economic activities with the market through initiatives like One District-Two Products.
The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand has made significant progress towards creating an investment friendly environment. Referring to the achievements of the state, he said that Uttarakhand has secured the top position in the SDG ranking of NITI Aayog. The state has also got a leading position in the category of hilly and north-eastern states in creating a better policy environment for investment.
On the subject of youth and employment, the Chief Minister said that the state government has given top priority to the transparent recruitment process. He said that after assuming the post of Chief Minister on July 4, 2021, the government resolved to ensure transparency in the recruitment process. Strict action was taken in cases of paper leak and copying and around 100 people were sent to jail while taking effective action against the copying mafia. He said that in the last five years, more than 34 thousand youth have been appointed in government services and extensive reforms have been made to make the recruitment process transparent.
He said that while about 16 thousand appointments were made in almost two decades after the formation of the state, more than 34 thousand appointments have been made in the last five years alone. The Chief Minister called this a proof of the government's commitment towards the youth. The Chief Minister also mentioned the growing ecosystem of startups and self-employment in the state. He said that when he took over as the Chief Minister, there were about 700 startups in the state, whereas currently their number has reached about 2,000. A large number of youth and women are moving towards self-employment through homestays, small hotels, agriculture, horticulture and local enterprises.
Referring to 'Chief Minister Udyamshala', the Chief Minister said that through this, information about starting a business, preparing products, connecting with the market, getting training and loan process is being provided to the youth and women. He said that so far more than 13 thousand people have completed training under this initiative.
On the challenge of migration, the Chief Minister said that the biggest priorities for the development of Uttarakhand include bringing 'mountain water and mountain youth' to the use of the state. He said that due to the expansion of tourism, self-employment and local economic activities, positive changes in the direction of reverse migration are now being seen in the state. According to him, an increase of 44 percent has been recorded in reverse migration in the state.
About 4.80 crore devotees came in Kanwar Yatra- CM
The Chief Minister also described the tourism potential of Uttarakhand as an important basis of the state's economy. He said that a large number of devotees and tourists are participating in pilgrimages like Chardham Yatra, Kanwar Yatra and Adi Kailash. Referring to the arrival of more than 47 lakh devotees in the first phase of Chardham Yatra, he said that about 4.80 crore devotees came in Kanwar Yatra. There has been a significant increase in the number of tourists and devotees in Adi Kailash area also after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This has boosted tourism based economy and local employment in border areas.
Describing Gen-Z as the 'Indian Generation', the Chief Minister said that today's youth are connected to the world, aware and clear about their aspirations. The digital and communication revolution has connected youth to global opportunities. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the government to listen to the expectations of the youth and provide them opportunities in line with the changing world.
The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand is a safe, peaceful and full of possibilities state for investment. The state's natural wealth, rivers like Ganga and Yamuna, good law and order, skilled human resources, tourism potential and increasing connectivity make it attractive for long-term investment. He called upon the industry representatives to see the potential of Uttarakhand and come forward to invest in the state.
Through the forum, the Chief Minister invited the top leadership of the country's major automobile companies including Maruti and Hyundai to invest in Uttarakhand. He said that the state government is committed to providing land, infrastructure facilities and favorable policy environment as per the needs of the industries.
Uttarakhand is an important partner in the economic progress of the country.
He said that the development model of Uttarakhand is no longer limited to tourism and natural resources only. The state is moving towards a comprehensive and balanced development model by adding new economic activities in industrial development, startups, self-employment, digital economy, connectivity, local products and hilly areas. The government's aim is that the benefits of new investment and employment opportunities should reach the people of both the plains and hilly areas of the state and Uttarakhand can be made an important partner in the economic progress of the country.