Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], July 5 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that the state has secured the first position in the country in the 2023-24 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) index released by NITI Aayog.

Addressing a public gathering in Haridwar, CM Dhami said, 'I am pleased to inform you that, in the 2023-24 index of the Government of India's NITI Aayog, Uttarakhand has ranked first in the entire country in achieving the goals of sustainable development.'

Highlighting the state's progress, Dhami credited the achievement to Uttarakhand's balanced growth approach; he said, 'It's because both the speed and direction of our growth are moving forward in a balanced manner. Along with this, we have also surpassed the national average by reducing the unemployment rate by 4.4%...'

During the 'Vikas Sankalp Parv' event held in Haridwar, the CM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 107 projects, which are expected to cost around Rs 550 crore, a release said.

CM also visited the stalls set up by various departments on this occasion and was overwhelmed by the immense love and affection received from people in the programme.

Chief Minister further said, 'Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand is moving on the path of progress with clear policy, determination and public welfare decisions. Development is our priority, honesty is our identity, and public service is our resolve.'

'With this aim, we are continuously working to establish Uttarakhand in the category of leading states of the country. The schemes which have been inaugurated and laid the foundation stone in Haridwar will definitely prove to be a milestone in the direction of regional development,' CM added.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also held a telephone conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussing the heavy rainfall in disaster-prone areas of the state.

Dhami informed that, considering the seriousness of the issue, Amit Shah has assured that the Centre's emergency relief agencies, the NDRF and ITBP, are being deployed promptly to ensure that the Char Dham Yatra is not disrupted and that devotees face no inconvenience during their travel. (ANI)