Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced 4 measures to strengthen block panchayats and address the concerns of their elected representatives at the Uttarakhand Pramukh Sangathan Conference, 2026, in Dehradun on November 1, 2026.
The conference was held at the Mukhya Sevak Sadan at the Chief Minister’s official residence. Block chiefs and public representatives from different parts of the state attended the event.
4 announcements for block panchayats
Dhami announced that the state would initiate action to restart the block panchayat fund. He also said action would be taken to increase the honorariums and allowances of block panchayat representatives.
The Chief Minister further announced that the block panchayat chief would be included in the development block-level committee of the National Rural Livelihood Mission. He also said the concerned gram panchayat would be consulted when rural areas are considered for inclusion in urban areas.
Dhami described block chiefs and panchayat representatives as an important link between the government and the public. He said they understand local problems and requirements closely and play a significant role in developing roads, drinking water, healthcare, education and other basic facilities.
He added that the government was aware of the representatives’ problems, suggestions and demands. Decisions to address them, he said, would be taken after consultations with the relevant departments.
More resources for local bodies
The Chief Minister said the state government was working to make local bodies financially stronger. According to the sixth State Finance Commission’s recommendations, a proposal has been made to increase local bodies’ share of the state’s tax revenue from 10.5% to 12.5%.
An allocation of ₹721 crore has been made in the supplementary budget for this purpose. Dhami said the measure would provide additional resources to rural and urban local bodies for development work.
The government is also working to construct buildings in gram panchayats that do not yet have panchayat offices, he said. Construction is planned in phases.
Dhami said the goal of a developed Uttarakhand could be achieved only by making villages stronger and self-reliant. He said the government was focusing on roads, electricity, drinking water, healthcare, education and digital connectivity, along with more employment and self-employment opportunities in rural areas.
The areas being promoted include homestays, rural tourism, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and local products. Dhami also said a 44% increase had been recorded in reverse migration in the state, and that active participation by panchayat representatives was necessary to expand livelihood opportunities in villages.
Government schemes and local coordination
Dhami urged elected representatives to coordinate continuously with the administration. He asked them to help eligible residents receive the benefits of government schemes and assist in resolving public grievances.
He referred to the state government’s ‘Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar, Jan-Jan Ke Dwar’ campaign, saying it had taken governance and administration directly to the people. According to his statement, thousands of people received benefits from government schemes through the campaign, while several issues were resolved at the local level.
The Chief Minister also said steps had been taken across the country to make panchayats more capable under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He referred to expanded resources, basic facilities and digital services in panchayats, including optical-fibre connectivity reaching gram panchayats and the construction of panchayat buildings.
Wider development priorities
Dhami said development work was continuing under the master plans for Kedarnath and Badrinath. He also referred to the development of major temples in Kedarkhand and Manaskhand and progress on corridor projects.
He said women were being economically empowered through self-help groups and the Lakhpati Didi campaign. The government was also running schemes for farmers, senior citizens, serving and former soldiers, and other sections of society.
Rajiv Kandari, president of the Block Pramukh Sangathan Uttarakhand, general secretary Ganesh Chandola, Jyoti Grover, patron Harish Bisht and other block chiefs were present at the conference.
Conclusion
The conference produced 4 announced measures focused on block panchayat financing, representatives’ benefits, rural livelihoods committees and consultation during urban expansion. The state government’s next step is to take action through the relevant departments and processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What did Pushkar Singh Dhami announce at the conference?
Dhami announced 4 measures involving the block panchayat fund, representatives’ honorariums and allowances, the National Rural Livelihood Mission committee, and consultation with gram panchayats during urban expansion.
Q. What change was proposed for the block panchayat fund?
The state government will initiate action to restart the block panchayat fund.
Q. Who would be included in the rural livelihoods committee?
The block panchayat chief would be included in the development block-level committee of the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
Q. What increase was proposed for local bodies’ tax revenue share?
The proposal is to increase local bodies’ share of state tax revenue from 10.5% to 12.5%.
Q. How much was allocated in the supplementary budget?
₹721 crore was allocated in the supplementary budget for the proposed increase in local bodies’ resources.
Q. What consultation was announced for rural areas joining urban bodies?
The concerned gram panchayat would be consulted during the process of including rural areas in urban areas.
Q. What increase in reverse migration did Dhami mention?
Dhami said the state had recorded a 44% increase in reverse migration.
Q. Which people attended the conference?
Block chiefs and public representatives from different parts of Uttarakhand attended. Organisation representatives and other block chiefs were also present.
