A CITIZEN’S ADVISORY FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE & SOCIAL HARMONY

Dehradun, 27 June 2026
Major Onkar Singh Negi ( RTD)

Uttarakhand today faces interlinked challenges that cut across departments – from growing human-wildlife conflict and the unregulated impact of tourism, to agrarian distress and rising incidents of social disharmony.

These are not isolated problems, and they cannot be resolved in silos.

At present, the Forest Department, Tourism Department, and Agriculture Department often work to separate targets, while the absence of a joint, holistic review mechanism creates policy contradictions on the ground.

Public grievances get caught in departmental blame games, and casteism and regionalism further dilute the focus on delivery.

In this environment, a clear sense of accountability is missing because the principle of _‘Perform or Perish’_ is not being enforced in practice.

The constitutional and policy framework to address these gaps already exists.

Article 38 of the Constitution directs the State to promote welfare by securing a social order that ensures justice, and the Supreme Court’s 2018 guidelines on mob violence mandate preventive, remedial and punitive measures in every district.

Within the state, Uttarakhand Vision 2030 emphasizes “Eco-Tourism with Local Prosperity” and “Zero Tolerance to Social Violence”, and the CM Dashboard system is already in place for performance monitoring.
What is needed now is to activate these mechanisms with greater urgency and coordination.

For governance, Uttarakhand must function as “Team Uttarakhand, One KPI – Perform or Perish”. A monthly Inter-Ministerial Task Force under the direct chairmanship of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, with the Forest, Tourism, Agriculture and Home Secretaries, should have one clear agenda: to solve one ground problem jointly each month.

Ministerial performance should be assessed on verifiable field outcomes through independent CMO teams and third-party citizen feedback, not only on departmental reports. The motto must be _‘Produce or Pay’_ – deliver results for the public or be held accountable for non-performance.

This approach reflects the spirit of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’. A public grievance audit, with random calls to beneficiaries by Ministers’ offices, as practiced under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ model, can ensure that truth reaches the top and schemes reach the last person.

On social harmony, the path is “Unity Through Participation”. Law must be implemented strictly and visibly. Fast-track courts and district nodal officers for mob violence, as directed by the Supreme Court, will ensure justice is swift and credible.

At the same time, constitutional values must be promoted in everyday life. Article 51A(e) reminds every citizen of the duty to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood.

This is best achieved not by dividing communities, but by creating more shared spaces – inter-community sports meets, skill hubs, and market linkages where livelihoods become interdependent.

Special programs in schools and colleges under ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ can celebrate diversity while building a shared identity as Uttarakhandis and Indians.

The strength of Uttarakhand lies in its people and its nature. When departments work as one team and citizens stand as one family, no challenge is insurmountable.

We request the Government to activate the policies that already exist, and we as citizens pledge to support every step that takes our State towards peace, prosperity, and performance.

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