Dehradun (Uttarakhand)[India], June 24 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the 25th Central Zonal Council meeting on Tuesday, which was held in Varanasi and chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The meeting also saw the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, and other senior officials.

During the Central Zonal Council meeting, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted several key issues concerning Uttarakhand, emphasising its strategic significance due to its location along international borders. He stressed the urgent need to strengthen road connectivity, communication networks, security arrangements, and logistics infrastructure in the state's border regions.

CM Dhami urged the Union Home Minister to provide more assistance to Uttarakhand through the Border Roads Organisation.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need to develop infrastructure and essential facilities in the state's border villages to help curb ongoing migration. He also urged the initiation of Bharat Net Yojana, 4G network expansion, and satellite-based communication services to strengthen connectivity in these remote areas.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister also urged the Central Government to relax some policy provisions in the interest of the state of Uttarakhand. He also demanded technical support from the Center for one-time allocation of central grant of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the state, providing additional support for efficient operation of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, setting up a high-level glacier study center in the state to study the effects of climate change and setting up a biodiversity conservation institute.

The Chief Minister sought cooperation for the establishment of an International Adventure Sports Training Centre, given the possibilities of adventure tourism in the state. He also urged the Central Government to provide necessary support for the successful and grand organisation of the Nanda Rajjat Yatra in 2026 and the Kumbh Mela in 2027 in Uttarakhand.

Emphasising Uttarakhand's unique challenges, Dhami noted that 71 per cent of the state's area is forested, and nearly 80 per cent is mountainous, which limits economic activity. Despite these constraints, the state has recorded a 1.5 times growth in its economy. He highlighted recent recognitions such as the top rank in NITI Aayog's SDG index and second place among small states in governance and financial management in the Care Edge Ratings.

Work is being done to make Uttarakhand a harmonious and safe state by making a Uniform Civil Code, a strict anti-copying law, an anti-conversion law, an anti-riot law, and a land law in the state. By assimilating the principles of Vocal for Local, heritage and culture, education and skills, participation and self-reliance, an important achievement has been achieved by connecting more than three lakh youth of the state with various means of self-employment.

Positioning Uttarakhand as a growing hub for AYUSH and wellness, Dhami pointed to the state's pioneering' Yoga Policy' and plans to establish two spiritual economic zones to promote Ayurveda, naturopathy, and spiritual tourism.

The central government has provided full support and cooperation in successfully implementing these efforts and the state government's commitments.

The Chief Minister said that the meetings of the Central Zonal Council in the past years have paved the way for the resolution of many important policy and inter-state issues. Historical work is being done in the field of cooperation, security, and regional coordination in the country. Under the Prime Minister's leadership and the Home Minister's efforts, India has moved towards becoming a developed and self-reliant nation by becoming more internally secure, organised and full of self-confidence. (ANI)