Amit Shah Highlights Uttarakhand Development Push at State Festival

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday joined Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Uttarakhand State Festival celebrations in Dehradun, where development projects covering infrastructure and public services were inaugurated and had their foundation stones laid.

Official event reporting placed the package at ₹1,475.31 crore across 62 projects, comprising 18 completed projects worth ₹402.20 crore and foundation stones for 44 projects worth ₹1,073.11 crore. Separate reporting of Shah’s remarks cited a figure of 63 projects worth around ₹1,508 crore.

Shah Credits BJP With Uttarakhand Statehood

Addressing the gathering in Dehradun, Shah referred to the decades-long movement for a separate Uttarakhand state and credited the government led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with creating Uttarakhand in 2000.

He contrasted the BJP’s record with previous Congress and Samajwadi Party governments, accusing them of delaying the aspirations of the region’s people.

Those remarks were political claims made by Shah during the event.

Uttarakhand was formally created on November 9, 2000, following a prolonged statehood movement.

Projects Cover Roads, Power, Health and Tourism

The Uttarakhand State Festival projects cover several sectors including:

• Roads and transportation

• Electricity

• Drinking water

• Education

• Healthcare

• Tourism

• Urban development

• Public infrastructure

The state government said the investments were intended to improve connectivity, public services and economic opportunities across Uttarakhand.

Shah Highlights UCC and Employment Policies

Shah also highlighted policy decisions taken by the Pushkar Singh Dhami government, including implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, recruitment reforms, investment promotion and measures intended to curb migration from hill districts.

He cited government employment, the Global Investors Summit, industrial policies and tourism-related programmes such as homestay initiatives as examples of the state’s development strategy.

According to Shah, more than ₹1 lakh crore worth of investments linked to agreements signed at the Global Investors Summit have moved into implementation. He also said around 35,000 young people had received government jobs.

Opposition Targeted Over Corruption and Appeasement

The Home Minister accused previous Congress governments of encouraging corruption and appeasement politics in Uttarakhand.

He argued that the present BJP government was focusing instead on economic development, investment, employment and security.

These accusations represent Shah’s political assessment and were not independent findings presented at the event.

Awards Presented During State Festival

Several awards and honours were also presented during the celebrations.

The Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman 2026 was conferred on 15 personalities, while renowned folk singer Narendra Singh Negi and actor Hemant Pandey received Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Six children were also presented with the first Chief Minister’s State Bravery Awards, each carrying a cash award of ₹51,000.

Dhami Says Development Will Help Reduce Migration

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said improved infrastructure, tourism, industry and self-employment opportunities were strengthening Uttarakhand’s economy.

The state government has also linked its investment and tourism policies with efforts to reduce outward migration from mountainous districts and create more employment locally.

Uttarakhand Marks 26 Years Since Formation

The Dehradun event formed part of celebrations marking the 26th anniversary of Uttarakhand’s creation.

Shah said the state had made significant economic progress and argued that Uttarakhand could play an important role in India’s wider development ambitions.

The Uttarakhand State Festival projects therefore combined infrastructure announcements with the BJP’s broader political message on statehood, investment, employment and governance.