Roorkee: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the ‘Yuva Samvad’ (Youth Dialogue) programme in Roorkee on Sunday, stating that the youth of Uttarakhand are the greatest strength behind the vision of a Developed Uttarakhand and a Developed India. He said that India is the world’s youngest nation and that the energy, innovation, and talent of its youth form the foundation of the country’s bright future.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, young people are regarded not as a vote bank but as the strongest pillar of a developed India. He highlighted several flagship initiatives, including Startup India, Stand-Up India, Digital India, Skill India, Khelo India, and the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, saying these programmes are empowering youth to become self-reliant and job creators.
He added that the Uttarakhand government aims to create an environment where young people do not have to migrate in search of employment. Schemes such as the Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme, Youth Promotion Scheme, Deendayal Upadhyaya Scheme, One District-Two Products initiative, and House of Himalayas are creating local employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
CM Dhami noted that Uttarakhand’s unemployment rate has declined by 4.4 percent, outperforming the national average. He also said that the state has secured the top position in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) rankings and is witnessing a positive trend of reverse migration, with skilled youth returning to the state to start their own ventures.
He further stated that the implementation of one of the country’s strictest anti-cheating laws has brought greater transparency to recruitment processes, enabling more than 33,000 young people to secure government jobs through fair selection procedures over the past four-and-a-half years. He also highlighted the establishment of 20 model colleges, modern IT laboratories, women’s hostels, and new industries to strengthen education and employment opportunities.
During the programme, the Chief Minister interacted directly with the youth and responded to their questions. Speaking about misinformation on social media, he said that the Cyber Cell is maintaining constant surveillance and strict action is being taken against those spreading false information. On preparations for the 2027 Kumbh Mela, he said the event will be made grand, safe, and technologically advanced with AI-based surveillance and drone monitoring.
The programme was hosted by Gaurav Kaushik, who welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked all the guests. Rajya Sabha MP Kalpana Saini, Transport Minister Pradeep Batra, Zila Panchayat Chairperson Kiran Chaudhary, BJP District President Madhu Singh, Roorkee Mayor Anita Agarwal, District Magistrate Mayur Dixit, Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar, along with a large number of youth and public representatives, were present.
