Uttarakhand Foundation Day: PM Modi Congratulates People, Makes Nine Requests

The hilly state emerged on the Indian map as the 27th state after it was carved out of North Eastern Uttar Pradesh in 2000.

New Delhi/Dehradun: On the occasion of State Foundation Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Uttarakhand. In an X live, the PM said, "Many congratulations to all my family members of the state on the silver jubilee year of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. This decade will be the decade of Uttarakhand". The hilly state emerged on the Indian map as the 27th state after it was carved out of North Eastern Uttar Pradesh in 2000.

In the video message, he said, "I had said while sitting at the feet of Baba Kedarnath that this decade is the decade of Uttarakhand. This belief of mine is firm and the government is making it a reality".

Modi made nine requests of which five were from the people of Uttarakhand and the remnant four were from the tourists. He said the great Yagna of development was going on in Uttarakhand, known as the Devbhoomi.

The five requests include the preservation of the local dialect so that it percolates down the younger generation, planting saplings in the name of the mother as people of the state are known as nature lovers and every woman embodying goddess Nanda, making efforts towards conserving rivers and canals, and staying connected to the roots so that they can settle down in their native villages post superannuation from service.

He urged the people, especially, mountaineers to keep the pristine landforms clean, to be 'Vocal for Local' by spending five per cent of their expenses on local products, strictly obeying traffic rules in the mountains and upholding the dignity of the customs observed in the religious places.

Applaudin the policies of the state governments he said Uttarakhand had set examples for the country by introducing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and anti-copying laws or the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance. Strict actions are being taken against the copying mafia, resulting in timely recruitment in government posts.

On GDP and GST, he said the number for Uttarakhand reflects improvement as the mop-up doubled to Rs three lakh crore against Rs one-and-a-half crore. The per-capita income also increased, making the life of youths easier.

Stressing the potable water condition, Modi said the state boasted a 16 per cent increase in household tap water connections against just four per cent before 2024. Under PMGSY, 20,000-kilometre roads have been laid out against 6,000.