Uttarakhand: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami virtually inaugurated the Mother Nanda Devi fair in Almora, approved Rs 146 crore for the beautification of Jageshwar Dham
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Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today inaugurated the Maa Nanda Devi Mela-2025 of Almora through virtual medium. On this occasion, while congratulating the people of Almora and the entire state, he said that this fair is a symbol of our folk faith, culture and identity.
The Chief Minister said that this is not just a religious event, but also a platform for economic, cultural and social empowerment. He also said that preparations have been started to celebrate the Maa Nanda Rajjat Yatra to be held in 2026 in a grand manner.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that our government will leave no stone unturned to make this Yatra, which is organized once in 12 years, divine and grand. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Amritkal of the revival of India’s glorious cultural heritage is going on. The way our religious heritage is being nurtured today, it is difficult to express it in words. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, our state government is also working continuously with determination for the overall development of Uttarakhand as well as reconstruction of religious places and to protect our identity.
The Chief Minister said that we are making efforts for the revival and beautification of the mythological temples of our Kumaon region under the Manaskhand Parvat Mala Mission. Under this project, various works are underway for beautification as per the master plan while preserving the original form of the temple complex in Jageshwar. For this, while on one hand an amount of Rs 146 crore has been approved by our government in the first phase, approval has also been given for the development works of the second phase.
The Chief Minister said that while on the one hand our government is getting the new building of Base Hospital constructed, on the other hand, a 50-bed hospital is also being constructed in the first phase in the 100-bed sub-district hospital in Someshwar. Along with this, a 50-bed state-of-the-art critical care block is also being established for the treatment of patients suffering from serious diseases. The Almora Women’s Hospital is also being upgraded at a cost of about Rs 5 crore.
The Chief Minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, we have constructed 248 km of roads in Almora district in the last 3 years, as well as under the Public Works Department, we have also constructed and renovated various motorways at a cost of crores of rupees. In this sequence, on one hand, the road connecting Almora-Pauri Garhwal-Rudraprayag has been constructed at a cost of about Rs 400 crore. At the same time, the widening of Almora-Bageshwar road has also been approved at a cost of about Rs 922 crore.
The Chief Minister said that under the “Udaan Yojana”, we have also started heli services with the aim of promoting tourism in Almora and making traffic easier. Apart from this, along with the lift pumping scheme at a cost of more than Rs 12 crore in Sadi Maher village, parking construction work is also in progress at more than 25 places in the district.
The Chief Minister said that the administrative building is also being constructed at Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora. Along with this, we are also working on the plan to construct a helipad at Chaukhutia near Dol Ashram. Not only this, towards realizing the goal of ‘Drug Free Uttarakhand’, our government has also established a drug de-addiction center in Almora.
The Chief Minister said that we are also working on many important projects to stop migration from the mountains and to promote local economy and tourism. Through the ‘One District, Two Products’ scheme, we have promoted local livelihood opportunities, while the ‘House of Himalayas’ brand has worked to give wide recognition to our local products. Apart from this, we are working to strengthen our local economy through schemes like ‘State Millet Mission’, ‘Farm Machinery Bank’, ‘Apple Mission’, ‘New Tourism Policy’, ‘New Film Policy’, ‘Home Stay’, and ‘Wade in Uttarakhand’. By adopting the mantra of “Swadeshi Apnao Desh Ko Majboot Banao” given by the Prime Minister, we can not only strengthen the country’s economy, but also make local producers, craftsmen and small entrepreneurs self-reliant.
The Chief Minister said that our government is working with determination to preserve the cultural values and demography of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. On one hand, we have implemented strict anti-conversion and anti-riot laws in the state. Taking strict action against land jihad in the state, we have freed more than six and a half thousand acres of government land from land jihadis. Along with this, along with sealing about 250 illegal madrasas, more than 500 illegal structures have also been removed. Apart from this, it is our government, which has brought strict land law for the first time in the state, due to which land mafia will no longer be able to grab the lands of our farmers, along with this, now we are also going to abolish the Madrasa Board in the state. After its implementation, after July 1, 2026, those madrasas in our state in which the syllabus of our government board will be closed.
The Chief Minister announced that the reconstruction and beautification work of the historic temple of Maa Nanda Devi will be done on a large scale in accordance with the traditional hill style. The government will also establish “Nanda Devi Handicraft Village” in Dinapani with the cooperation of various organizations. This craft village will also promote various copper items, Aipan art, woodcraft and other traditional handicrafts including products made by local women entrepreneurs under the “Mukhyamantri Sashakt Behna Utsav Yojana” and these products will also be linked to the national and international markets.
