Context:
• Uttarakhand’s multi-dimensional development narrative → water security, horticulture, wellness tourism, connectivity, rural livelihoods, MSMEs, brand-based GI monetisation, legal reforms & spiritual capital positioning.
Key Highlights – Water Security / Wellness Economy / Connectivity / Tourism Diversification / Vocal for Local
• Jamrani & Song Dam Projects → will solve drinking water issues of Dehradun & Haldwani.
• Govt subsidies to apple & kiwi farmers through digital currency → transparent tracking using modern technology.
• Devbhoomi Uttarakhand = heart of Bharat’s spiritual ecosystem → Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Jageshwar, Adi Kailash.
• Connectivity push = projects worth >₹2 lakh crore underway → Rishikesh–Karnaprayag rail, Delhi–Dehradun expressway, ropeways (Gaurikund–Kedarnath & Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib).
• Wellness surge → herbs, Ayurveda, yoga, aromatics → vision: yoga centres + Ayurveda + naturopathy + homestays in every assembly constituency.
• Vibrant Villages Programme → border villages as small tourism hubs with homestays + local cuisine (dubke, chudkani, rot-arsa, ras-bhaat, jhangore ki kheer).
• Local festivals = signature cultural capital → Harela, Phooldei, Bhitauli & fairs (Nanda Devi Mela, Jauljivi Mela, Uttarayani, Devidhura, Shravani, Butter Festival) → proposed One District – One Festival campaign.
• Horticulture potential → blueberries, kiwi, herbs, medicinal plants → MSME strengthening in food processing, handicrafts, organics.
• Year-round tourism → winter tourism rising sharply → Pithoragarh high-altitude marathon @ 14,000 ft; Adi Kailash Parikrama – from <2,000 pilgrims → >30,000; Kedarnath → 17 lakh devotees this year.
• Uttarakhand rising as film destination + wedding destination → “Wed in India” → 5–7 premier wedding venue clusters proposed.
• Vocal for Local → 15 agricultural products have received GI Tags → Bedu fruit & Badri cow ghee included.
• House of Himalayas – umbrella brand identity → digital-platform market access → farmers/artisans/MSMEs → global competitiveness.
• Governance reforms → Uniform Civil Code implemented; firm action on anti-conversion / riot control / land encroachment / demographic manipulation.
• Disaster management → swift & sensitive response.
• Development transformation:
– Budget: ₹4,000 cr → >₹1 lakh cr
– electricity generation → 4x increase
– road length → 2x
– earlier 4,000 air passengers in 6 months → now >4,000 per day
– engineering colleges → >10x increase
– medical colleges: 1 → 10
– vaccine coverage: <25% → nearly universal.
• Uttarakhand reinforced as future “Spiritual Capital of the World” → temples, ashrams, meditation + yoga centres → global spiritual networks.
Relevant Mains Points:
• Mountain state development = nexus of ecology + spiritual economy + GI-based rural livelihood expansion.
• Tourism model shifting from pilgrimage-only to all-season tourism + wellness tourism + adventure tourism + destination wedding tourism.
• GI → brand-linked value capture → exports + digital marketplaces → MSME empowerment.
• Legal governance reforms → state-level experimentation → federalism lab..
UPSC Relevance:
GS1 – Culture, Spiritual Geography
GS2 – Governance Models, UCC federalism, Social Regulation Laws
GS3 – Agriculture Diversification, MSME, Branding, Mountain Economy, Tourism Economy, GI Tags, Connectivity Infrastructure.