Atal Vajpayee’s ideals continue to shape Atmanirbhar Bharat: Dhami

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s values and governance vision continue to inspire India’s self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing infrastructure growth, welfare schemes, and digital transformation

Madanapalle (Andhra Pradesh): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s values, governance model, and national vision continue to inspire India’s journey towards self-reliance under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.

Addressing a public meeting as the chief guest at the Atal-Modi Good Governance Yatra, Dhami spoke after unveiling a statue of Vajpayee at Annamayya Circle, Madanapalle in Annamayya district.

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“Vajpayee’s values, governance framework, and national vision continue to guide India‘s march towards self-reliance under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” Dhami said.

He said the Atal-Modi Good Governance Yatra, which began on December 11, is being conducted across all districts and will continue till December 25, with the unveiling of Vajpayee statues forming part of the programme.

Dhami said Vajpayee’s political life was rooted in integrity, nationalism, and public welfare, earning him respect even from opposition leaders. Recalling Vajpayee’s speech during the 1996 no-confidence motion, the chief minister said the former prime minister had firmly asserted that governments may come and go, but the nation must endure.

Dhami said Vajpayee laid the foundation for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and transformed the country through initiatives such as the Golden Quadrilateral national highway project, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), and telecom sector expansion.

The project refers to the national highway network connecting India’s four major metropolitan cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata—forming a quadrilateral. It is a key component of the National Highways Development Project and aims to improve connectivity and promote economic growth.

PMGSY was launched to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy. The government is working to establish uniform technical and management standards while facilitating policy development and planning at the State level to ensure sustainable management of the rural road network.

Dhami said Vajpayee demonstrated the strength of coalition politics by leading the country’s first stable non-Congress coalition government at the Centre. According to him, poverty eradication and inclusive development were central to Vajpayee’s governance approach, with programmes aimed at making citizens active partners in nation-building.

Drawing parallels with the present, Dhami said Prime Minister Modi, inspired by Vajpayee, is strengthening India through development and welfare initiatives such as ‘Startup India’ and ‘Vocal for Local’.

The Chief Minister said India’s digital revolution, driven by platforms such as PhonePe and Google Pay, has astonished developed nations, including the United States and countries in Europe.

He added that around 36,000 km of national highways are currently being laid across the country, while 99 per cent of village roads have been completed.