Dehradun, 9 November. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various projects worth Rs 8,260 crore on the occasion of completion of 25 years of formation of Uttarakhand and praised the all-round progress made by the state in various sectors.

Modi said that work on infrastructure projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore is going on in Uttarakhand. Speaking at an event to celebrate the state’s silver jubilee, the Prime Minister said that 25 years ago Uttarakhand’s budget was only Rs 4,000 crore, but now it has crossed Rs 1 lakh crore.

Referring to the large number of pilgrimage sites in the state, he said that Uttarakhand can also become the spiritual capital of the world. The projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister relate to several key sectors including drinking water, irrigation, technical education, energy, urban development, sports and skill development.

These projects include Dehradun water supply coverage for 23 areas under AMRUT scheme, power substation in Pithoragarh district, solar power plants in government buildings, Astroturf hockey field at Haldwani Stadium in Nainital etc. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other senior leaders of the state were present at the ceremony.