IEP Dehradun October 22, 2022
Addressing a public gathering in Mana after offering prayers in Badrinath and Kedarnath, and unveiling the foundation stones for development works worth Rs 3,400 crore, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said that the third decade of the 21st century belongs to Uttarakhand.
Modi said, “By the grace of Baba Kedarnath when I had visited Kedarnath the last time, some words came out of my mouth to the effect that the third decade of the 21st century belongs to Uttarakhand. These were not my words but were spoken by me by the blessings of Baba Kedarnath. With these new projects today I reiterate the commitment here.” Stating that Uttarakhand is witness to the development brought by the double engine government, he said that earlier at the most five lakh pilgrims used to visit during the Char Dham Yatra season but now this number has increased to about 45 lakh.
He said, “There is another aspect to faith and revival of spiritualism- ease of living for the mountain dwellers and their employment because when road, rail and ropeway reach the mountains they bring employment and make life in the mountains better and easier. Now our government is also working on a plan to use drones for carrying goods. This will enable people in the mountains to transport their fruits and vegetables to the market,” he said. Appreciating the items locally produced by a self help group of Mana, the PM referred to ‘vocal for local’ and exhorted citizens across the nation to spend at least five per cent of their total expenditure on a journey on buying local products. He said that the double-engine government has linked the youth to home stays and skill development while youngsters are also being connected to the National Cadet Corps in mountainous regions. The PM also referred to the development being achieved through execution of various Central government schemes. Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that PM Modi has always accorded priority to the development of Uttarakhand. Unprecedented cultural revival of the nation is taking place under the leadership of PM Modi, he said. Nations are looking towards India for solutions to the problems facing the world and also following the policies implemented in India. The PM’s farsightedness is clear not only on the economic front but also on the strategic front. No enemy of the nation dares to challenge India today, said Dhami.
