Uttarakhand CM Advocates for Rural Entrepreneurship at NITI Aayog Meeting

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted the need for promoting rural entrepreneurship to achieve the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' during NITI Aayog's 9th Governing Council meeting in New Delhi. He sought central support for incubation centres and emphasized the importance of addressing global warming and water conservation.

In a significant move to address rural growth, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the 9th NITI Aayog's Governing Council meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dhami stressed the state's dedication to the 'Viksit Bharat' vision and underscored the necessity of fostering entrepreneurship in rural regions.

The Chief Minister outlined that for a 'Viksit Bharat', promoting rural entrepreneurship through cluster-based incubation centres and growth centres is paramount. Uttarakhand has already initiated this with two rural incubation centres and 110 growth centres. He urged the Central Government for both technical and financial backing to expand these initiatives. Additionally, Dhami called for the approval of hydropower projects under 25 MW and the implementation of a capital subsidy for small hydropower projects in Himalayan and North-Eastern states. He also requested amendments to include lift irrigation in the 'PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana'.

Dhami highlighted the pressing need to address global warming and climate change, noting that Uttarakhand is aligning its development schemes with ecological and economic considerations. The state has started issuing GEP alongside GDP. Emphasizing urban areas as growth engines, he proposed developing 'counter magnet areas' to alleviate urban overcrowding. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of AI and quantum readiness for achieving 'Viksit Bharat by 2047'.

The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for special financial provisions in the Union Budget and cited Uttarakhand's top ranking in the Sustainable Development Goals Index as a point of pride. Addressing the drinking water crisis, Dhami mentioned the creation of a Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority in the state to focus on water conservation projects and requested central assistance. This year's NITI Aayog meeting theme, 'Viksit Bharat@2047', revolves around making India a developed nation, with discussions on the vision document's approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)