The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Friday, 3 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami received a courtesy delegation of journalists from Chhattisgarh at the Chief Minister's residence in Dehradun, using the occasion to present the state's tourism and development agenda to out-of-state media representatives.

Context

Welcoming the visiting journalists to what he called Devbhoomi Uttarakhand (the 'Land of the Gods'), CM Dhami said the state is not merely a centre of natural beauty and spiritual faith but is also establishing new dimensions of rapid development. He described visits by journalists from different states as 'an important opportunity to understand Uttarakhand's cultural, social, historical and developmental journey.'

The Chief Minister highlighted the state's distinctive identity rooted in its Himalayan civilisation, folk culture and religious traditions. He specifically named pilgrimage sites including Char Dham, Panch Kedar, Panch Badri, Panch Prayag, Hemkund Sahib, Purnagiiri, Jageshwar, Adi Kailash and Om Parvat as major centres of faith drawing crores of devotees and tourists every year.

Policy Backdrop

Invoking the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Dhami said the state government is making tourism the primary driver of economic growth. Beyond religious tourism, the government is actively promoting adventure tourism, eco-tourism, wellness tourism, rural tourism and homestay-based tourism as complementary pillars.

He pointed to PM Modi's Adi Kailash visit as a turning point that gave this remote border-area spiritual site global recognition, resulting in a 'notable increase' in tourism activity across frontier regions. The Chief Minister stated that over the past four years, more than 25 crore tourists and pilgrims have visited Uttarakhand — a figure he cited as evidence of the state's growing popularity and improved infrastructure.

Redevelopment work under the Kedarnath and Badrinath Master Plans is under way with the aim of providing world-class amenities to pilgrims while preserving religious and cultural heritage. The plans, announced in 2021, envisage comprehensive infrastructure upgrades around both temple towns.

Stakeholders and Impact

A major focus of the Chief Minister's remarks was the push for round-the-year tourism, with a dedicated campaign to promote winter travel. He said this initiative is strengthening the sheetkalin gaddi sthals (winter seat temples) near Char Dham and other shrines, while generating new employment and self-employment opportunities for local communities.

Border communities are also a stated priority: CM Dhami said the state is rapidly expanding roads, bridges, healthcare, education, communications and drinking water facilities in frontier areas, alongside tourism development to strengthen local economies. On broader connectivity, he noted that the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, once complete, will make access to Uttarakhand significantly easier and give fresh momentum to tourism and investment.

The Chief Minister also touched on governance priorities including investment, industry, women's empowerment, youth skill development, agriculture, horticulture and rural development, framing the state's approach as a balance between 'development and heritage.'

What's Next

Completion of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and the rollout of expanded homestay and adventure tourism schemes in 2026-27 will be key tests of the state's tourism-led growth strategy. Winter visitor data for Char Dham and the frontier Adi Kailash corridor will indicate whether the year-round tourism campaign is translating into measurable economic gains for border communities. CM Dhami closed by calling journalists 'a strong pillar of democracy' through whom accurate and positive information reaches society.