Tehri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) [India], January 10 (ANI): Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday attended the closing ceremony of the first Sports and Cultural Festival organised by the Cultural Development Committee at Government Inter College, Chham, Tehri Garhwal. During the event, the Chief Minister inspected stalls set up by various departments and distributed certificates to people who had registered under the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Paying homage to the sacred land of Lord Nagraja, the Chief Minister said, 'Such events play a vital role in preserving our folk culture and traditions and in connecting the younger generation with them. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a cultural renaissance is taking place across the country'.

Major projects, including the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, the Mahakal Corridor, and the redevelopment of Badrinath-Kedarnath Dham, have been completed. The state government is also working on various projects, including the Haridwar-Rishikesh Corridor.

A Sports Academy is being established to provide high-level training to athletes. Following that, the chief minister said, 'The state is being developed as a hub for sports with the aim of placing Tehri Lake on the international tourism map. Various adventure sports competitions such as trekking and paragliding are being organised.' The construction of a ring road around the lake will also create employment opportunities for local people.

Chief Minister stated the state government is continuously working to promote reverse migration, self-employment, homestays, self-help groups, the Lakhpati Didi scheme, and the AYUSH wellness sector.

Uttarakhand has secured first place in the Sustainable Development Goals ranking released by NITI Aayog, and the government is committed to maintaining this position. 'The state has implemented the Uniform Civil Code, and under the zero-tolerance policy on corruption, those found guilty are being jailed', the chief minister added.

The government is working with full dedication to make Devbhoomi Uttarakhand safe, prosperous, and self-reliant. So far, illegal encroachments have been removed from more than 10,000 government lands, and over 6,000 illegal constructions have been demolished.

Chief Minister explained that under the anti-riot law, every single penny will be recovered from rioters. The government will not compromise on the state's unity, integrity, and cultural values and will continue to work with full determination to protect the honour of Devbhoomi.

The Chief Minister further said that 'the state government has always stood with the family of late Ankita Bhandari and continues to do so even today'.

An SIT was constituted by the government, which conducted an in-depth investigation for nearly two and a half years and submitted its report, on the basis of which the court sentenced all three accused to life imprisonment. When Ankita's parents demanded a CBI inquiry, the government respected their sentiments, extended cooperation at every level, and will continue to stand with them.

MLAs Pritam Singh Panwar and Kishor Upadhyay also expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, noting that under his leadership, development schemes are being implemented on the ground. They said that during the Chief Minister's tenure, several historic decisions were made in the state, including the implementation of the UCC and the anti-cheating law. (ANI)