Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday attended the "Yuva Agniveer Samvad" programme in Dehradun, where he interacted with young participants and spoke about his government's development agenda, employment initiatives, women's empowerment and the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Responding to a question about the five biggest achievements of his government, Dhami said limiting the government's work to just five accomplishments would be unfair, as his administration had delivered "hundreds of works" across sectors.
'We've done hundreds of works, not just five'
Addressing the gathering, Dhami said, "You are asking about five achievements, but we have completed hundreds of works. If I mention only five, it would be unfair to all the others." Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the state, he said that after offering prayers at Kedarnath, the Prime Minister had expressed confidence that Uttarakhand would lead the country in this century. Dhami said the state had made notable progress across multiple sectors and had disproved the belief that smaller states cannot deliver large-scale development.
Highlighting key initiatives, he said Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and added that more than 34,000 government recruitments had been completed without corruption or favouritism. "Today, more than 34,000 recruitments have taken place in Uttarakhand without any recommendations or bribery," he said.
'Development will continue until it reaches the last person'
Speaking about welfare initiatives, the Chief Minister said the government has been consistently supporting women, farmers and youth through various schemes. He said women in Uttarakhand are producing a wide range of products and receiving government assistance to market them across the country.
Referring to Central government initiatives, Dhami said schemes such as Ujjwala Yojana and the construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission have significantly improved the lives of women. "Our government is working for youth, women, farmers and maintaining law and order. Young people are now returning to Uttarakhand instead of migrating elsewhere. However, this is not enough. Development will continue uninterrupted. Our work will continue until the benefits of development reach the last person in society," he said.
CM Dhami defends Sanatan Dharma
During the interaction, Dhami also spoke about Sanatan Dharma, saying Uttarakhand, known as Devbhoomi, naturally represents its cultural and spiritual heritage. "I am the chief servant of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. If the message of Sanatan does not resonate from Devbhoomi, then where will it? Some people called Sanatan malaria, dengue and a virus for vote-bank politics. I believe Sanatan is our way of life. Sanatan existed in the past, it exists today and it will always remain," he said.
Calls for responsible use of social media
The Chief Minister also urged people, especially young users, to use social media responsibly. He said social media has empowered ordinary citizens by giving them a platform to express their views, but warned against the spread of misleading content. "Through social media, even an ordinary person can reach the world with their voice. However, some people post content only to gain views and likes, even if it is far removed from reality. Such content creates confusion, and people should remain cautious," he said.
Focus on youth engagement
The Yuva Agniveer Samvad programme was organised as an interactive platform where young participants engaged directly with the Chief Minister on governance, employment, development and public policy. The event also highlighted the government's emphasis on youth participation in the state's development journey.
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