Dehradun, Nov 9 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said the day is not far when the problem of migration will be eradicated from the state through the creation of employment opportunities.
Addressing a function at the police lines here on the occasion of the state's foundation day, Dhami said Uttarakhand is progressing rapidly in various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, horticulture and industry, due to which businesses, self-employment and job opportunities, in general, are on the rise.
"The day is not far when we will be able to eradicate the problem of migration from the state by increasing employment opportunities," the chief minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted the people of the state on the occasion through a video message, saying a 'mahayagna' of development is currently underway in Uttarakhand.
He showered praises on the state government, saying policies begun by it are serving as models for other states.
"Uttarakhand is proving that this decade belongs to it. It is setting new records of development. It has been ranked first in the country in the Sustainable Development Goals index, it has been put in the category of achievers in Ease of Doing Business and the category of leaders in startup ranking," the prime minister said.
Referring to the date, Modi said the number nine is an auspicious number that symbolises power. He added that he would make nine requests, five to the people of Uttarakhand and four to tourists who visit the state.
Modi said his five requests to the people of Uttarakhand were to conserve local dialects, actively participate in the tree plantation campaign 'Ek Ped Maa ke Naam', clean water bodies, connect with their roots in villages and beautify their old-style Tibari homes into homestays.
His requests to the tourists were to avoid single-use plastic, spend five per cent of their travel expenses on buying local products, follow traffic rules in the mountains and show regard to local customs and rules associated with religious places while on a pilgrimage.
Dhami said his government has worked to increase the opportunities for capital investment in the state by making many new policies, including industrial, logistics and startup policies.
An 'industrial smart city' is also going to be established soon at Khurpiya in Udham Singh Nagar district, he said.
The dream of reaching the hills by rail is going to come true soon through the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail line, the chief minister added.
New medical colleges are being set up in various districts besides the construction of a satellite centre of AIIMS, Rishikesh, in Udham Singh Nagar district, he said.
Dhami remembered former prime minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee during whose tenure Uttarakhand became a separate state on November 9, 2000.
"Atal ji fulfilled Uttarakhand's dream of attaining statehood. It is moving rapidly towards becoming a leading state in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
Paying tributes to people killed in the recent bus accident in Almora, Dhami said a comprehensive policy will be made by taking various departments together for effective prevention of road accidents.
A special procedure will be created to fix the responsibility of contractors and engineers for the purpose of ensuring the quality of roads, he said.
Other important announcements by the chief minister included linking all villages with a population of 50 or more by roads by 2030, the introduction of a new women's policy for their overall development and a special "Youth Policy" for the all-round development of the youth and payment of an additional amount to players from Uttarakhand who win medals at the forthcoming National Games which will be equal to their prize money.
The "National Uttarakhandi Migrant Day" will be organised every year in the month of November for migrants living in other states and the "International Uttarakhandi Migrant Day" in January for those living abroad.
Dhami also paid tributes to the statehood martyrs at the Shaheed Sthal in Dehradun, besides addressing another programme in the summer capital Gairsain to mark the state foundation day.