DEHRADUN: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday participated in the prestigious ‘Diamond State Summit’ organized by News 18 at Hotel Hyatt Centric in Dehradun. During the interactive session, the Chief Minister shared his views on Uttarakhand’s 25-year development journey, good governance, the Uniform Civil Code, infrastructure expansion, investment, employment generation, cultural preservation, and democratic processes.
The Chief Minister said that the completion of 25 years of Uttarakhand’s statehood is a moment of pride and deep emotion for every citizen of the state. Calling it a matter of privilege, he said that he feels honored to serve Uttarakhand at this historic juncture. He underlined that the government’s vision is to make Uttarakhand one of the most progressive, prosperous, and self-reliant states in the country over the next 25 years.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve that “the third decade of the 21st century will belong to Uttarakhand,” the Chief Minister said the state government is working with full commitment and a clear roadmap to realize this vision. He noted that more than 30 new policies have been formulated to promote employment and self-employment, driving holistic and sustainable development. Uttarakhand securing the top position in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, achieving the ‘Achievers’ category in Ease of Doing Business, and being placed in the ‘Leaders’ category in the Startup Ranking were cited as major accomplishments.
Chief Minister Dhami emphasized that as a “Chief Servant” of the people, his constant endeavor has been to maintain a balance between sensitivity in governance and firmness in decision-making, ensuring timely and effective public-oriented outcomes.
Highlighting the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Chief Minister described it as a historic and courageous step for Uttarakhand. He clarified that UCC is not a political decision but a reform aimed at ensuring social justice, gender equality, and equal rights. In line with Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, the UCC is intended to benefit all citizens—especially women—by providing equal rights and dignity, without targeting any community. The entire process, he added, was undertaken with extensive public consultation, constitutional values, and social harmony in mind.
On the issue of forced religious conversion, the Chief Minister stated that the government’s stance is clear and stringent. He said Uttarakhand is Devbhoomi, and protecting its cultural identity and demographic balance remains a top priority. Terming incidents of forced conversion as a serious threat, he said the state has enacted a strong anti-conversion law to address the issue effectively.
Speaking on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Chief Minister said it is a constitutional and routine process aimed at making democracy more transparent, fair, and credible. Given Uttarakhand’s status as a border and sensitive state, maintaining a clean and accurate voter list is essential for both national security and democratic integrity. The exercise will help eliminate fake, duplicate, and ineligible entries while safeguarding the voting rights of all eligible citizens.
On the impact of the double-engine government, Chief Minister Dhami said that strong coordination between the central and state governments has accelerated development in infrastructure, tourism, education, healthcare, and employment. Mega projects such as the Char Dham Project, all-weather roads, and railway expansions are playing a crucial role in strengthening the state’s economy and connectivity.
Addressing the issue of illegal encroachments and land jihad, the Chief Minister stated that more than 10,000 acres of government land have been freed from encroachment so far. He clarified that the action is not against any community but is a lawful administrative drive aimed at protecting land resources and maintaining demographic balance.
The Chief Minister also described the hosting of G-20 meetings and the National Games as major achievements for the state, stating that these events have given Uttarakhand a new national and international identity while boosting tourism, investment, employment, and sports infrastructure.
On investment, the Chief Minister informed that investment agreements signed during the Global Investors Summit have already seen ground-level implementation exceeding ₹1 lakh crore. These investments across tourism, industry, IT, pharmaceuticals, energy, and infrastructure sectors are significantly contributing to economic growth, job creation, and curbing migration from the state.
