Recent Current Affairs related to Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand has become the 6th literate state in India, with a literacy rate of over 98%. This milestone was achieved under the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) programme.

Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim are the other states that have attained this status.

Union Minister Virendra Kumar has presided over the valedictory event of 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Saptah (Drug-Free India Week)' in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The event was observed under the theme "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan – Viksit Bharat Ki Pehchaan".

During the event, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) signed MoUs with the Akhil Vishwa Gayatri Pariwar to strengthen the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) by focusing on awareness, community mobilisation, drug demand reduction, and senior citizen welfare.

Six northern states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, have signed an MoU for the implementation of the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project. The agreement was signed during a meeting chaired by Union Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

The project is a hydroelectric and water storage initiative on the Tons River, a tributary of the Yamuna, located on the border of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in the Dehradun-Sirmour region. The project is estimated to cost ₹15,000 crore. The Central Government will provide 90% of the water component cost as Central Assistance, while the remaining 10% will be shared by the participating states.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune has signed an MoU with the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital to conduct collaborative research on climate change.

Under this MoU, a Climate Observation Station will be established at ARIES, Devasthal, as a part of the Bharat Climate Observation Network (BCON).

The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has signed an MoU with the Dr. RS Tolia Uttarakhand Academy of Administration (DRSTUAoA) in Nainital to collaborate on capacity building regarding social defence issues in the state.

The Government of India (GoI) has approved Roorkee-based Skymap Pharmaceuticals Private Ltd as the strategic buyer for the 100% disinvestment of Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd (IMPCL).

Established in July 1978, IMPCL is a profitable Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) that manufactures and distributes standardised Ayurvedic and Unani medicines.

Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd), a senior BJP leader and former CM of Uttarakhand, passed away at the age of 91. He was a veteran of the 1962 Indo-China War and the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars and was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). He also represented the Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency multiple times, including during the 16th Lok Sabha.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has flagged off the second edition of the high-altitude endurance event named “Surya Devbhoomi Challenge 2.0” in Badrinath, Uttarakhand.

The 113 km long expedition is a five-day event traversing the Char Dham corridor and covering the three sacred Kedars of Kalpeshwar, Rudranath, and Tungnath. The Indian Army is organising the challenge in strategic partnership with IconMetrix, with support from the Tourism Department of the Uttarakhand Government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 213-km-long Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, built at a cost of over ₹12,000 crore. The six-lane access-controlled highway connects Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, reducing travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over 6 hours to 2.5 hours.

The project features the longest elevated wildlife corridor in Asia, spanning 12 km through the Rajaji National Park. The corridor ensures the unhindered movement of wildlife, including elephants and leopards.