Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth ₹1,271 crore in Uttarakhand, during the ‘Uttarakhand Investment Festival 2025’ held in Dehradun. The event also marked the realization of ₹1 lakh crore worth of investment in the hill state, following commitments made during the 2023 Global Investors Summit.
The event was attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta, and Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, among other dignitaries.
Speaking at the event, Shah praised the state government for successfully translating investment MoUs into action. “At the 2023 Global Investors Summit, Uttarakhand received MoUs worth ₹3.56 lakh crore. Today, ₹1 lakh crore worth of investments have materialized, creating over 81,000 jobs. Ancillary industries are expected to generate another 2.5 lakh employment opportunities,” he said.
Shah lauded the Dhami-led administration for maintaining a balance between industrial growth and environmental sustainability. “Bringing investment to a landlocked, hilly state like Uttarakhand is no small feat. But the Chief Minister has achieved this by ensuring transparent policies, swift implementation, and strategic planning,” he added.
Highlighting Uttarakhand’s spiritual and cultural importance, Shah described it as the “Dev Bhoomi,” and emphasized that no force could hinder its progress. “This is the land of one Jyotirlinga, three Shakti Peethas, the Char Dham, Panch Prayag, Panch Kedar, and Sapt Badri. Uttarakhand represents a confluence of nature, culture, and spirituality,” he said.
He announced that infrastructure projects like the ₹2,700 crore Govind Ghat–Hemkund Sahib ropeway and the ₹4,000 crore Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeway would further boost tourism. “Once the Char Dham all-weather road project is complete, tourists will visit Uttarakhand year-round,” he said.
The home minister also targeted the opposition for allegedly obstructing development works. “The practice of disrupting state development must stop. When the state progresses, it is the responsibility of every political party to support it,” he remarked.
On national development, Shah said that the Modi government had shattered the belief that industrial progress and welfare couldn’t go hand in hand. “From free food grains to over 80 crore people, to free medical treatment under Ayushman Bharat, to tap water and toilets for crores of households — these efforts prove inclusive growth is possible,” he said.
Shah further added that Uttarakhand was benefiting from stable policies and sector-specific initiatives such as tourism, AYUSH, startups, film policy, and logistics. Ayurveda, yoga, organic farming, and natural therapies, he said, would form the four pillars of the state’s development.
Drawing comparisons with the UPA era, Shah said that while the previous government provided ₹53,000 crore to Uttarakhand between 2004 and 2014, the Modi-led government had allocated ₹1.86 lakh crore from 2014 to 2024. “This includes ₹31,000 crore for roads, ₹40,000 crore for railways, and ₹100 crore for airport development. Overall, the funding has been more than four times higher,” he said.
Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for a developed India by 2047, and that dream would not be possible without the holistic development of small and eastern states, including Uttarakhand.