Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 4 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that preparations are underway for the Kumbh Mela scheduled to be held in Haridwar in 2027, asserting that tourism in the state is witnessing rapid growth.

CM Dhami also highlighted that the Char Dham Yatra, which is currently underway, is progressing smoothly.

'Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, our Char Dham Yatra is going on very well, and our tourism is developing. We have started the winter yatra, and other religious sites have been developed... The Kumbh Mela is scheduled to be held in Haridwar in 2027, and preparations for it are underway,' CM Dhami told ANI.

Highlighting the recognition received for development efforts, the Chief Minister said Uttarakhand has secured the first position in NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) index among small states. 'By integrating ecology, economy, and technology, we are progressing with balanced development,' he said.

Further, CM Dhami mentioned the positive feedback received from delegates during the G20 Summit meeting hosted in Ramnagar here. 'The G20 Summit meeting was held here, and the delegates from around the world left with a positive experience.'

CM Dhami listed several key infrastructure developments, including rapid progress on the Char Dham all-weather road and renovation of Badrinath and Kedarnath dhams. 'Pantnagar airport is also being expanded and is on the way to becoming an international airport,' he said.

He also highlighted that state government provided significant number of jobs to the youth.

'...In these years, we have paid special attention to employment. So far, about 24000 appointments have been made, and we have brought a strict law against cheating. UCC was our election resolution. We implemented UCC in the state. Under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister, we presented our resolution in front of the people of Uttarakhand. Our resolution was fulfilled, and we completed the work,' CM Dhami said. (ANI)