Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami meets PM Modi to discuss development, key projects

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the Chief Minister during the meeting expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for the central government’s continuous support and guidance for the development of Uttarakhand.CM Dhami noted that with this support, the state is achieving new growth milestones. He also invited the Prime Minister to visit Uttarakhand.On the occasion, the Chief Minister presented a replica of Shaktipeeth Maa Surkanda Devi, Badri cow ghee, five varieties of rajma from different parts of the state and honey.The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for approving Rs 500 crore assistance for Haridwar Kumbh-2027, initiating the feasibility study of the National Water Development Authority’s river linkage project, sanctioning Rs 100 crore for development of Chauraasi Kutiya in Rajaji National Park, signing MoU for Pithoragarh Naini-Saini Airport and supporting security helicopter services during Char Dham Yatra.He also expressed gratitude for the approval of critical infrastructure projects such as Rishikesh Underground Electrical Line, Champava Bypass, Dehradun Ring Road and Dehradun-Mussoorie Road.According to the CMO, during the meeting, the chief minister provided details of the measures taken by the state government based on the advice given by the Prime Minister during his visit to Uttarakhand. He highlighted that Uttarakhand is working towards becoming a global wedding destination and locations like Chopta, Durgarbita, Pavadangarh and Sharda corridor are being developed, while Ramnagar, Dehradun, Rishikesh and Triyogi Narayan are already popular. Specific wedding destination policies are also being developed.He further revealed that areas such as Bel Kedar, Anjanisain-Tehri and Lohaghat-Shyamlatal have been identified as spiritual economic zones. The introduction of the winter pilgrimage resulted in a significant increase in the number of devotees.The number of pilgrims visiting Adi Kailash will increase from 1,761 in 2022 to 36,453 in 2025, supported by the launch of helicopter services. The state also heavily promotes adventure tourism activities such as rafting, paragliding and kayaking. Under the Speak for Local initiative, local products are promoted globally through the Himalayan House brand.The Chief Minister also briefed the Prime Minister on initiatives such as ‘One District One Equity’, Cluster Schools Scheme, Bharat Darshan and Uttarakhand Darshan Scheme aimed at promoting education, tourism, rural economy and self-employment. Dhami demanded that the Regional Rapid Transit System be extended from Meerut to Haridwar and Rishikesh. He also sought policy support for setting up defense equipment manufacturing units in Uttarakhand citing its strategic location, skilled workforce and industrial infrastructure.According to the CMO, proposals have been put forward to establish defense industry hubs at Kotdwar, Haridwar and Dehradun, develop BI-Duck bridge at Raiwala and expand Chinyalisaur airport at Uttarkashi. The chief minister proposed the introduction of seaplane services in Tehri Lake and asked for the construction of the Delhi-Haldwani Expressway, which will improve connectivity to Kashipur, Rudrapur Industrial Area, Pantnagar Airport and Jim Corbett National Park while enhancing logistics in hilly areas. While emphasizing on rail connectivity, he urged early commissioning of the Rishikesh-Viya West section under the Rishikesh-Kanaprayag railway project, construction of a road-cum-rail tunnel on the Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line, survey of the Bageshwar-Kanaprayag railway line and doubling of the Haridwar-Dehradun railway line. He also proposed building a new Rishikesh-Uttarkashi railway line to improve connectivity with Gangotri and Yamunotri and strengthen the supply chain of local products. The Chief Minister invited the Prime Minister to Uttarakhand to attend the inauguration and foundation laying ceremony of key projects. Proposed inauguration includes the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and Tehri Pumped Storage Power Station, while plans are also underway to lay the foundation stone for the Pantnagar Airport expansion and Bambasa dry port projects. Dhami pointed out that the Bambasa Dry Port located on the border of India and Nepal will enhance trade, connectivity and regional cooperation and enhance international connectivity through the Asian Highway.The chief minister also highlighted several key reforms and initiatives in the state. More than 6,000 homestays have been registered under the homestay scheme, and the country’s first free marketing portal “Uttarastays” has also been launched. Almora Chaubhatia established a center of excellence for apple, cherry, plum and pear cultivation and launched farmer training programmes. Under the Vibrant Villages Programme, selected border villages are being developed by promoting local culture, cuisine and crafts.He described the Chief Minister’s Solar Self-Employment Scheme as a game-changer for rural livelihoods by providing employment opportunities through solar projects. Thousands of entrepreneurs have received incubation support under the Chief Minister’s Entrepreneurship Scheme. The ‘Devbhoomi Parivar Scheme’ is creating a unified digital database of households to ensure transparent implementation of government schemes. Besides, the state has also implemented the “Agniveer Reservation Rules-2025” providing 10% reservation in state services to former Agniveers. Through the Uttarakhand Jan Vishwas Bill 2026, various laws have been amended and more than 500 outdated regulations have been repealed, simplifying the process. The chief minister emphasized that major reforms have been taken up in the industries, labour, mining, revenue and urban development departments to improve ease of doing business in the state.