
Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand) [India], October 4 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday called Khatima a “Mini India”, highlighting the participation of people from different communities at the ‘Uttarakhand Aadi Rangotsav-2026 Khatima’.
He participated in the festival, organised by the State Tribal Research Institute from October 4 to 6 at Naveen Mandi on Pilibhit Road in Khatima.

He said efforts are being made to empower the tribal community and make it self-reliant by connecting people with education, healthcare, employment and infrastructure.
Addressing the event, CM Dhami said, “People from every community were out on the streets today: our mothers and sisters in traditional attire, members of tribal communities, the Bengali community, the Punjabi community, and people from the Purvanchal region. People from the hill regions were performing the Choliya dance. Every community that lives here was visible on the streets. That is why I say Khatima is ‘Mini India’; a microcosm of the nation. The true image of a ‘Mini India’ is reflected here… Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, continuous efforts are being made since 2014 to uplift various communities—be it the tribal community, the Adivasi community, or the marginalized sections of society—and drive their progress forward.”
Dhami said 824 houses were constructed in the first phase and 101 in the second phase under the ‘Pradhan Mantri JANMAN Awas Yojana’.
“…To empower the tribal community and make them self-reliant by connecting them with education, healthcare, employment, and infrastructure. Working in this direction, we have made the age criteria under the ‘Atal Awas Yojana’ more practical and increased the allocation for house construction costs so that the maximum number of families can benefit from it,” he said.
“Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri JANMAN Awas Yojana’, 824 houses have been constructed in the first phase and 101 in the second phase. Continuous efforts are also being made to advance the tribal community in the field of education. Substantial funds, running into crores of rupees, have been allocated for the development of ‘Ashram Paddhati’ schools, hostels, and ITI institutes,” the chief minister added.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Jual Oram attended the festival as Special Guests, along with Minister of State Ajay Tamta. (ANI)

