Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that development projects worth over ₹2 lakh crore are in progress in Uttarakhand, with central grants to the state doubling over the past 10 years. Modi assured that the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail link will be completed by 2026.

Addressing Uttarakhand’s 25th foundation day celebration virtually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that central government-funded development projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore are underway in the state, with a focus on enhancing connectivity in hill areas. He noted that the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail link, one of the country’s most challenging rail projects, is set for completion by 2026 as the grant received by the state from the Centre has doubled over the 10 years. The Rs 20,000 crore project will not only improve access to Badrinath and Kedarnath for tourists but also hold strategic importance for defence forces.

In his address, Modi said that the ongoing Dehradun-Delhi expressway project will reduce travel time from Dehradun to Delhi to just two and a half hours. He also made several observations about the development work undertaken in Uttarakhand since his government came to power in 2014.

The Prime Minister said that in addition to the central government’s doubling of Uttarakhand’s grants, the state is now home to the country’s first drone application research centre, with plans to build a smart industrial township in Udham Singh Nagar district. Modi added that under the double-engine government, Uttarakhand is witnessing a “mahayagna of development”.

The PM praised CM Dhami, saying, “Uttarakhand has taken decisions that are setting examples for the nation. The state has implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after deep study, which is a true secular civil code. Today, the whole country is discussing UCC and feels its need.” Modi also highlighted Uttarakhand’s implementation of anti-cheating law to secure the future of its youth and its strict action against the mafia. Many of the state’s initiatives are becoming examples for other states to follow, he remarked.

Praising the state’s growth trajectory, Modi said, “Uttarakhand is setting new records of development, as it led the SDG Index in 2023 and emerged as a major achiever in the ease of doing business and startup rankings. He noted that the state’s growth rate has been more than 1.25 times higher in the past one and a half years.

He further said that in 2014, the state’s per capita income was ₹1.25 lakh, which has now increased to ₹2.60 lakh. He also pointed out that Uttarakhand’s gross domestic product has increased from ₹1.5 lakh crore in 2014 to ₹3.5 lakh crore in 2024, adding. “These figures show how new opportunities have been created in Uttarakhand.”

Modi said that the Kedarnath shrine area is being given a major facelift while work on the Badrinath shrine area master plan is progressing rapidly. He reiterated that the present decade belongs to Uttarakhand as the Himalayan state will see central government-sponsored development projects in the coming days.