Dehradun: Two districts of Uttarakhand, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar, were honored under the Aspirational Districts Program run by NITI Aayog, Government of India. A felicitation ceremony for the Sampoornta Abhiyan (Completeness Campaign) was held at the Chief Minister’s residence on Friday, where the Chief Minister presented certificates of appreciation and medals received from NITI Aayog, Government of India, to the districts and development blocks that performed well in the Aspirational Districts Program and Aspirational Blocks Program.
During the event, the Chief Minister also released the book “Uttarakhand at 25: A Himalayan State With Infinite Possibilities”. It is worth noting that the Aspirational Districts Program is being run by NITI Aayog, under which Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts of Uttarakhand were awarded for their better performance in meeting the set standards.
These development blocks were also honored: Along with this, Gadarpur, Mori, and Syalde development blocks were also awarded under the Aspirational Blocks Program. Under the program, out of 112 districts across the country, two districts of Uttarakhand (Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar) were selected as Aspirational Districts.
Awards received for these programs: Udham Singh Nagar district secured the second position among all aspirational districts in the country in the field of education in July 2019 and in financial inclusion and skill development in November 2020. Udham Singh Nagar district secured the third position in the agriculture sector in August 2021 and the first position in the agriculture sector in July 2022.
Similarly, Haridwar district secured the first position among all aspirational districts in July 2019 and the first position in the field of basic infrastructure in June 2022. Haridwar district secured the first position among all aspirational districts in July 2022 and the second position in the field of health and nutrition in July 2022. The Aspirational Blocks Program was launched by NITI Aayog in January 2023. 500 development blocks were selected across the country: Under the program, 500 development blocks were selected across the country. A total of 6 development blocks from Uttarakhand, namely Bahadrabad from Haridwar, Dugadda from Pauri Garhwal, Mori from Uttarkashi, Gadarpur from Udham Singh Nagar, Syalde from Almora, and Kapkot from Bageshwar, were selected as aspirational development blocks. NITI Aayog had set a target for the saturation of 6 indicators in the districts and development blocks. In this context, three of the selected aspirational development blocks in the state have achieved saturation by performing exceptionally well on a greater number of indicators.
During the program, CM Dhami said that significant improvements have been made in important sectors such as health, education, nutrition, agriculture, infrastructure, social development, and financial inclusion through the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks program.
The CM said it is a matter of pride that under this scheme, Haridwar district secured the top position in the country in the ranking of aspirational districts released by NITI Aayog in 2022. Similarly, Gadarpur, Mori, and Syalde secured top positions in the category of development blocks. Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is witnessing overall development.
The CM said that to promote investment in the state, the Global Investors Summit was organized in 2023. More than ₹3.56 lakh crore worth of MoUs were signed at this summit, of which investment proposals worth more than ₹1 lakh crore have already been grounded. Additionally, a single-window system has been developed to simplify the licensing process for industries.
Self-employment schemes launched: To promote the local economy and tourism in the state, schemes such as One District Two Products, House of Himalayas, State Millet Mission, Farm Machinery Bank, Apple Mission, New Tourism Policy, New Film Policy, Homestay, Wed in Uttarakhand, and Solar Self-Employment Scheme are being implemented. Uttarakhand was in the Achievers category in the Ease of Doing Business ranking: Through the House of Himalayas initiative, traditional products are being given widespread recognition at the national and international levels. The state has performed brilliantly in various national and international rankings. Uttarakhand secured the first position in the country in the Sustainable Development Goals Index released by NITI Aayog. The state was in the Achievers category in the Ease of Doing Business ranking.
Record 4.4 percent reduction in unemployment rate: The CM said that the state has reduced the unemployment rate by a record 4.4 percent, surpassing the national average. Uttarakhand secured the second position in category C in the Government of India’s State Mining Preparedness Index, which is a testament to the transparent and efficient management of resources.
The Chief Minister said that the state’s Single Window System has been awarded in the Top Achievers category. The state has also set several records in the field of tourism. The national awards for Best Wildlife Destination and Best Adventure Destination have further strengthened Uttarakhand’s position on the world tourism map. In the National Tourism Awards 2024, Jakhol, Harshil, Gunji, and Supi villages were declared the best tourism villages.
The Chief Minister said that only with the right intention, noble purpose, and strong determination can we ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the last person in line. NITI Aayog launched the Aspirational Districts Programme in 2018.
