In its endeavor to check migration by creating local employment opportunities in the state, the Uttarakhand government would soon roll out a policy for growth centres. The Chief Secretary (CS) of Uttarakhand Utpal Kumar Singh said that policy would lay focus on creation of employment in the state. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister (CM) chaired a meeting of senior officials at state secretariat and gave instruction for drafting the policy on growth centres. He said that as the government is celebrating year 2018 as ‘Employment Year’ and generating employment opportunities is one of its tops its priorities.
Rawat asserted that the ‘Growth Centres’ would become helpful in checking migration of unemployed youth from mountainous areas and would play a crucial role in improvement of basic infrastructure in the state. The CM added that the state government has decided to develop 670 ‘Growth Centres’ and they would act as hubs of multi-purpose economic activities. “A provision has been made to earmark funds to the tune of Rs 15 crore for MSME department in current financial year. Other departments should also work towards developing Grown Centres in the State”, he said.
The CM instructed the officials of agriculture, horticulture, dairy development, animal husbandry, Ayush and Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME) departments to work actively for establishment of these centres. He also instructed officials to draft proposals without waiting for the policy roll out. Rawat said that the government plans to develop these centres on the basis of outcome and the different departments should constitute indicators for setting these centres.
Principal Secretary Manisha Panwar said in the first stage the government has decided to focus on processing and service sector for developing “Growth Centres” in the state.
She said that a lead activity for every centre would be identified and required ground work for production and marketing of the product would be done by the departments concerned.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary R K Sudhanshu, Amit Negi, R Meenakshi Sundaram and others.