The State Government has expressed concern over migration of people from hilly regions of Uttarakhand. Speaking at a seminar on women facing environmental challenges in Himalayan regions in Nainital on Sunday, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, said that migration from remote and hilly regions of Uttarakhand is a matter of serious concern.
“Therefore, to reverse this trend we have to equip all these villages in the remote and hill areas of the State with basic services. “More so, we would also have to promote small scale industries and traditional trades in these parts of the State, so that people may not have to go way for livelihood, maintained the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
At the same time he also lauded the efforts of women for working towards protection of environment in Uttarakhand, remembering efforts of Guara Devi. She launched the ‘Chipko’ movement. The main purpose of this movement was to prevent unscientific cutting of trees, Rawat added.
The fact of the matter is that women are the epicenter of hill economy. They not only perform their homely responsibilities but also contribute to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry among other sectors in the hilly areas.
Therefore, the Government would give incentives to such women who would do plantation work along with their agricultural works, he announced.
Speaking on this occasion, MlA from Nainital assembly seat and Parliamentary Secretary Saritya Arya, said that to protect interests of the women is the top priority of the State Government. And the Government is committed to solve the problem of women on priority basis, she added. The seminar was organised by Bharat Vishwa Pratisthan.