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Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Rudrapur on July 19 wasn’t just a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. It was a strong political and economic signal , that cities like Rudrapur are no longer on the sidelines of India’s development story. Inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for projects worth Rs 1,271 crore at the Uttarakhand Investment Summit 2025, Shah underlined Rudrapur’s strategic importance to India’s future.

“A developed Uttarakhand is essential for a developed India,” he said, while lauding the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led State Government for driving growth with a rare mix of environmental sensitivity and industrial ambition.

Rising Rudrapur

Rudrapur, located in the Udham Singh Nagar district, has quietly emerged as one of Uttarakhand’s economic anchors.

Once known for its premium Basmati rice, the city now boasts a thriving industrial belt, thanks to the presence of major players like Nestlé India, Tata Motors, Dabur, and TVS Motors. The SIDCUL initiative, coupled with improved rail connectivity, has turned Rudrapur into a manufacturing magnet and a hub of job creation.

Turning Promises Into Progress: Shah Hails Dhami Government

Shah reflected on a prior conversation with Chief Minister Dhami, noting that the true test of any summit lies in implementation. “The task does not end with an MoU. It begins there. Team Dhami has already delivered more than 81,000 direct and over 2.5 lakh indirect jobs have been created,” he said.

He also cited Uttarakhand’s receipt of Rs 1.86 lakh crore in central assistance since 2014, four times higher than previous figures, as a sign of the Centre’s commitment to smaller states. Projects such as the All-Weather Road and ropeways to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib were praised for enhancing both connectivity and tourism without compromising on ecological values.

“The Government has chalked out the overall development of Uttarakhand with transparency in policies, speed in implementation and foresight in vision,” Shah added.

Ayurveda, Tourism, And Tradition: Future Growth Pillars

Looking beyond industrialisation, Shah pointed to sectors rooted in the state’s identity, wellness and spirituality, as potential economic drivers. “Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy and Organic Farming will form the foundation of Uttarakhand’s development in the coming days,” he said, emphasising how deeply the state’s people, traditions and landscape are connected to these disciplines.

Shah also placed the state's transformation within the context of India’s national progress, citing the country’s leap from being the 11th to the 4th largest economy globally, and its projected rise to 3rd by 2027. He credited flagship welfare schemes for lifting over 25 crore people out of poverty.

But perhaps the most telling part of the day’s message came not from charts or projections, it came from the setting itself. Rudrapur, once just a trading post, now finds itself at the crossroads of tradition and transformation. It’s here, in such cities, that India’s development dream is quietly but powerfully taking shape.