Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired a review meeting at his official residence on Thursday to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming Central Regional Council meeting.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of the council as a powerful platform for dialogue and collaboration between the Centre and participating states.
Emphasising the need for a holistic approach to child development, CM Dhami instructed officials to focus on the nutrition, physical well-being, and mental growth of children in the state.
“Children's future is the future of the state and the country; hence, an integrated and target-based plan should be made for their overall development,” he said.
He directed the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Food Security Department, Health Department, and Sports Department to collaborate closely. This, he said, would ensure focused efforts on nutrition, sports, health services, and mental well-being of children.
To strengthen public healthcare coverage, CM Dhami also asked officials to ensure that all government hospitals register beneficiaries under the Ayushman Yojana. He stressed, “It should be the priority of the administration to ensure that every citizen of the state benefits from this scheme.”
The Chief Minister urged increased promotion of the 112 emergency helpline number to improve public access to timely assistance. “The general public can take advantage of this facility at the required time,” he said.
Further, he directed the Women and Child Development Department to intensify reviews of malnutrition and anaemia cases. Campaigns should be run at the grassroots level to improve children's health, he said, adding that monitoring and evaluation mechanisms must be strengthened at the district level.
CM Dhami concluded the meeting by urging departments to design innovative proposals that reflect the principle of "coordination of ecology and economy" and contribute to the state's sustainable and balanced development.