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Dhami joins mass kanya pujan event in Dehradun, highlights schemes for girls’ welfare
At an event in Prem Nagar, the Uttarakhand CM linked the ritual observance to the state government’s welfare measures for girls and women.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday participated in a mass kanya pujan programme at the Sanatan Dharm Mandir complex in Prem Nagar, Dehradun, where 1,100 girls were worshipped as part of Chaitra Navratri observances. Addressing the gathering, Dhami said the festival was not only a religious occasion but also an opportunity to reaffirm values related to respect, service and social responsibility.
He described the worship of girls during Navratri as an expression of the place accorded to daughters in Indian tradition and said such events could help reinforce public attention on education, safety and dignity for girls. He also extended greetings to people in the state on the occasion of Chaitra Navratri.
In his remarks, the chief minister said daughters are regarded in Indian culture as embodiments of the divine and play an important role in carrying forward social and cultural values. He said society should use such occasions to commit itself to ensuring that every girl has access to education, protection and respect.
Dhami also used the event to outline a range of welfare measures that, according to the state government, are aimed at supporting girls and women at different stages of life. He said the government has introduced provisions including scholarships for girls, bicycle distribution on admission to Class 9, incentive support after passing Class 12, and 30% horizontal reservation for women in government jobs.
He said registered construction workers are eligible for assistance of ₹61,000 for the collective marriage of their daughters and up to ₹55,000 for individual marriages. He added that Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and economically weaker section families are being provided marriage assistance of up to ₹50,000.
Referring to broader state schemes, Dhami said the government was implementing programmes such as the Nanda Gaura Yojana, Gaura Devi Kanyadhan Yojana, Chief Minister Mahalakshmi Kit Yojana and nutrition-related support initiatives. He said these measures were intended to support girls from birth through education, health and employment.
The chief minister said the nine days of Navratri should not be viewed only as a period of worship, but also as a time for introspection and strengthening values such as humility, compassion and service. He said kanya pujan symbolised not just tradition, but also a social obligation toward the welfare and advancement of girls.
He appealed to citizens to take a pledge for the protection, education and progress of every daughter so that the spirit of the ritual could be reflected in everyday life. After the event, Dhami also paid obeisance at a gurdwara in Prem Nagar.
Among those present were विधायक Savita Kapoor, BJP metropolitan president Siddharth Agarwal, Disaster Management Advisory Committee vice-chairman Vinay Rohila, Dehradun Cantonment Board vice-chairman Vinod Panwar, BJP leader Vinay Goyal and other local office-bearers.
