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CM Dhami highlights women’s empowerment, cyber safety and soldier welfare in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand CM Dhami unveiled significant welfare projects focused on women's empowerment, cyber safety education for youth, and enhanced support for veterans.
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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday highlighted the state government's focus on women’s empowerment, youth safety and the welfare of serving and retired soldiers as his government announced a series of development and welfare initiatives across the state.
At the ‘Mukhyamantri Sashakt Behna Utsav-2026’ programme at the Ramlila Maidan in Dhura, Champawat, held on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Dhami inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 50 development projects worth ₹62.97 crore. The projects include 20 schemes worth ₹11.08 crore that were inaugurated and 30 new projects worth ₹51.89 crore for which foundation stones were laid.
The projects are aimed at strengthening basic infrastructure in Champawat, with works covering roads, drinking water, irrigation, flood protection and religious tourism. Among the announced works are a drinking water scheme at Dhura, roads connecting Dhura with Setichaur Byala and Kakanai with Boonga Durgapipal, and road and interlocking works in Baghina Bhandari. Beautification of temples in Dhan and Bastiyagoonth has also been proposed.
Flood and erosion protection works using wire crates will be undertaken at several locations, while other projects include a suspension bridge over the Ladhiya river in Poth, improvement and hot-mix work on roads, an irrigation tubewell at Danda Kakanai and a suspension bridge at Kathol in Budam.
Addressing women at the programme, Dhami said the government was committed to making every woman self-reliant. He said women’s empowerment meant more than access to government schemes and involved ensuring education, healthcare, security, economic independence and participation in decision-making.
The Chief Minister also highlighted projects aimed at supporting girls in Champawat, including a women’s sports college being developed at a cost of ₹256.97 crore, an integrated nursing institute, ITI laboratory facilities, college hostel facilities and a women’s technology park. The government, he said, wanted to create opportunities so that girls did not have to leave their villages or district to pursue education and skills.
Dhami said the government wanted women who had become ‘Lakhpati Didis’ to progress further and become financially stronger. He cited initiatives such as Vocal for Local, House of Himalayas, Hilans outlets, food vans and e-rickshaws to help self-help groups find markets for locally produced goods.
Police reaches 1.75 lakh students on cyber safety
Separately, Uttarakhand Police conducted a statewide virtual cyber-awareness programme in which more than 1.75 lakh students from over 1,100 government schools participated.
Director General of Police Deepam Seth interacted directly with students through the ICT Virtual Classroom Studio at Government Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Tapovan, Nalapani, Dehradun. The programme covered online fraud, social media safety, hacking, artificial intelligence, cyberbullying and the process of filing cybercrime complaints.
Officials also discussed emerging threats including AI-generated deepfakes, digital arrest scams, sextortion, fake profiles, online harassment and online gaming. Students were advised not to forward unverified information, photographs or videos, avoid suspicious links and use technology responsibly.
The DGP said cyber safety could not be the responsibility of the police alone and called on students to become “Cyber Smart Citizens”. Following the strong response from students, he directed that cyber security, drug awareness and road safety sessions be conducted regularly in government schools.
Students were also urged to contact the national cyber helpline 1930 or file complaints through cybercrime.gov.in in cases of financial cyber fraud.
Uttarakhand positions itself as a model for soldier welfare
The state government also highlighted a series of measures for serving personnel, ex-servicemen, Veer Naris and families of martyrs. Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to establish a dedicated employment cell for Agniveers returning after four years of service. The state has also announced 10% reservation for Agniveers in government services.
The government has increased ex-gratia assistance for families of Param Vir Chakra awardees from ₹1.5 crore to ₹2 crore, while assistance for dependents of other martyrs has been raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. Financial assistance for soldiers receiving gallantry awards has also been enhanced.
Statues of martyrs will be installed in their ancestral villages, while the construction of Sainya Dham in Dehradun has been completed and its inauguration is being prepared. The memorial contains soil brought from the homes and courtyards of martyrs and records their stories of valour.
One eligible dependent from each martyr’s family is being provided government employment, with 28 eligible dependents already accommodated. The application period has also been extended from two years to five years.
Serving and retired personnel are being offered a 25% stamp-duty concession on property purchases up to ₹25 lakh. The government has also taken steps to assist soldiers and ex-servicemen’s families in cases of land fraud pending before district courts.
Dhami said the government remained committed to the honour and welfare of soldiers, ex-servicemen, Veer Naris and martyr families, adding that Sainya Dham would serve as a symbol of Uttarakhand’s military heritage.
