Top News

Uttarakhand Independence Day 2026: On the auspicious occasion of Independence Day, a flag hoisting program was organized in the Uttarakhand Secretariat premises. On this occasion, Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan hoisted the national flag and congratulated the entire state, the Secretariat family, Uttarakhand Police, PAC personnel and school students and teachers on Independence Day. He respectfully paid tribute to the freedom fighters and brave martyrs who sacrificed their all for the independence of the country.

In his address, the Chief Secretary said that Independence Day is not just a day of celebration, but an occasion to remember the sacrifices, penances and sacrifices of countless heroes on the strength of whose struggles India is moving forward as an independent and sovereign nation today. He said that we have inherited independence, but the real responsibility of building a prosperous nation rests on the shoulders of the present generation.

He further said that today's India is full of confidence. The country has made historic progress in economic, scientific, technological and strategic fields. Indian scientists are setting new records in space, youth are proving their talent on global platforms and digital technology has changed the face of governance. Now our main goal is to ensure such development in which every citizen gets equal opportunities and the benefits of development reach the last person of the society.

25 years of Uttarakhand: Along with achievements, it is important to focus on challenges also.

Referring to the journey of 25 years since the formation of Uttarakhand state, the Chief Secretary said that this is the time to introspect and decide the right direction for the future. The formation of the state was not just an administrative change, but behind it there was a long struggle for the specific geographical, cultural needs and public aspirations of the hilly region.

He said that in these 25 years, unprecedented work has been done in education, health, roads, electricity, drinking water, tourism and digital connectivity. However, along with this, there is a need to work continuously on serious challenges like stopping migration from hilly areas, creating new employment opportunities for the youth, providing access to better health and education in remote areas, reducing disaster risk, conserving water sources and protecting the Himalayan ecology.

The goal of 'Developed Uttarakhand' on the lines of 'Developed India'

Regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making 'Developed India' by the year 2047, the Chief Secretary said that Uttarakhand will play an important role in fulfilling this national resolution. Our basic mantra should be 'Developed Uttarakhand with Developed India'.

He clarified that developed Uttarakhand does not just mean big buildings or huge projects. The real developed Uttarakhand will be called the one where the youth of the hills can get respectable employment while living in their villages, women become financially self-reliant, every child gets quality education and every citizen gets better treatment on time. Only when villages will be connected with roads, internet and modern facilities and environment and development will complement each other, will true development take place.

Good governance and 'outcome delivery' top priority

Describing the Secretariat as the brain of the state government, the Chief Secretary said that every decision taken here impacts even the remote villages of the state. Therefore, the biggest responsibility of the administration is that every decision of the government should bring positive changes in the life of the common citizen.

While guiding the officers and employees, he said that we have to move beyond 'file disposal' and focus on 'outcome delivery' (result based work). He stressed on maximum use of modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital governance and data analytics under the principle of 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance'. He called upon the officers to consider themselves as true public servants and not just as government employees and solve public problems sensitively.

New opportunities for local economy, rural entrepreneurship and youth

The Chief Secretary said that the real strength of Uttarakhand is our villages, women, youth and rich natural resources. We need to link millets (Shree Anna), local agricultural produce, horticulture, herbs, handicrafts and organic farming with modern global markets. Praising women self-help groups, he stressed on making them centers of rural entrepreneurship.

With reference to the youth, he said that our aim should be that the youth of Uttarakhand should not just become job seekers but also job providers. New opportunities will have to be created in Startup, IT, Tourism, Renewable Energy and Creative Economy so that the youth do not have to run to Dehradun, Delhi, Chandigarh or Bengaluru for employment, but the employment opportunities reach the mountains themselves.

Emphasis on Himalayas, environmental protection and responsible tourism

Talking about the balance of environment and tourism, the Chief Secretary said that Uttarakhand is the sentinel of the Himalayas. The rivers and forests here are the main basis of our civilization, culture and environment. The development of Uttarakhand should be based on 'Himalaya-sensitive development model'. In disaster management, priority should be given to pre-preparedness, early warning system and anti-disaster construction.

In the field of tourism, he said that now we have to focus on responsible, sustainable and 'high-value tourism' instead of just increasing the number of tourists. Along with Chardham Yatra, there is a need to connect small villages of the state, folk culture, yoga-wellness, adventure, eco-tourism and homestays with the mainstream of tourism.

At the end of the address, the Chief Secretary called upon all the officers and employees of the Secretariat to pledge to contribute their 100 percent in the development of the state with full devotion, transparency, innovation and sensitivity.