Union Home Minister Amit Shah Inaugurates & Lays Foundation Stones For 62 Development Projects Worth ₹1,475 Crore In Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, along with Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 62 development projects worth ₹1,475.31 crore during the Uttarakhand State Foundation Day celebrations held at Parade Ground, Dehradun, on Friday. These included the foundation laying of 44 projects worth ₹1,073.11 crore and the inauguration of 18 projects worth ₹402.20 crore. The projects are related to roads, electricity, drinking water, education, healthcare, tourism, urban development and other basic infrastructure facilities.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that Uttarakhand would be the first milestone in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. He described the Uttarakhand State Foundation Day celebrations as an occasion of pride, achievements and renewed resolve. He said that former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had created the state of Uttarakhand, and today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the state is progressing towards new heights of development.

The Union Home Minister stated that, compared to 2022, Uttarakhand’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had increased by 50 per cent, while per capita income had risen by 40 per cent. Of the investment agreements worth ₹3.56 lakh crore signed during the Global Investors Summit, investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore have already been grounded. He appreciated several significant decisions taken by the state government, including the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, a stringent anti-cheating law and an anti-conversion law. He also stated that 35,000 young people had secured government jobs in Uttarakhand and that more than three lakh women had become Lakhpati Didis.

Referring to major infrastructure projects such as the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, Char Dham All-Weather Road, Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Rail Project, and the ropeway projects to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib, Shri Amit Shah said that the combined efforts of the Central and State Governments had accelerated the pace of development in Uttarakhand. He appreciated the development initiatives being undertaken under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Welcoming the Union Home Minister, Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government was continuously working towards making Uttarakhand a developed and prosperous state under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah. He said that the expansion of connectivity, tourism, industries, self-employment opportunities and basic infrastructure was strengthening the state’s economy. The Chief Minister also highlighted that Uttarakhand had secured the first position in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index. He expressed his gratitude to the Union Home Minister for the conferment of the prestigious ‘President’s Police Colour’ upon Uttarakhand Police.

During the समारोह, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister conferred the Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman Awards 2026 upon 15 distinguished personalities. Renowned folk singer Shri Narendra Singh Negi and actor Shri Hemant Pandey were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Six children who demonstrated exceptional courage were conferred the first Chief Minister’s State Bravery Awards. Each child received a cash award of ₹51,000.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister presented the Union Home Minister with a traditional Uttarakhand cap, a shawl, a Gangajali (sacred Ganga water vessel) and a memento symbolising the Samudra Manthan.

Former Chief Ministers, Union Minister of State Shri Ajay Tamta, Members of Parliament, State Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, public representatives, senior officials and a large number of people from across the state were present at the occasion.