An ancient region, but a Gen-Z state, Uttarakhand looks at its future with unease. Twenty six years after its formation, the state has failed to live up to its promise of growth and development centred around the aspirations of its Pahadi residents. Issues that propelled the statehood movement still persist in the hilly state.Instead of strengthening basic infrastructure and preventing the exploitation of the hills’ resources, the government has chosen to advance corporate interests dressed in the garb of development. Essential services such as roads, education and healthcare are in abysmal conditions. The economy is struggling, leaving the young without access to sources of stable incomes.Another state-formation day arrived in this context, bringing no cause for celebration. People’s hopes for change now rest on the impending Assembly election.A major concern at the time of state formation was unchecked outward migration. The lack of technical and higher education institutes meant that young men and women would leave their villages soon after finishing schooling. The majority of them continued to stay away from their homes and families as there were limited income avenues back home.Several villages came to only be inhibited by older people, who, too, would migrate to seek better healthcare services.Also read: Dehradun After Dark: No Beats, No Bhajans, Just One Controlling DalThe solution to reverse migration lay in investments in social welfare and employment generation. For a while, basic services improved in the hills and it looked like the state was poised for progress. But the last decade has reversed that trend.Since 2017, more than 1,700 government schools in Uttarakhand have been closed. There have been no serious attempts to fix higher education, and this reflects in it university rankings – not a single state university is ranked within the top 100 in the country.The neglect of education is outdone by the indifference towards healthcare. It is commonplace for people visiting hospitals to not find a specialist to consult with. Rural areas are close to 92% short of surgeons, almost 80% short of physicians, and 86% and 82% short, respectively, of pediatricians and radiographers. (See pages 132-148, Health Dynamics of India 2022-23).Most hospitals in Uttarakhand have been reduced to referral centers, often simply advising patients to seek treatment at a different facility. An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General revealed how it is the hills where the shortages in medical personnel are way above than in the plain districts.The audit noted, “In Uttarakhand’s health sector, out of a total of 21,670 sanctioned posts, 41% were vacant… In four plains districts, there was a 50% shortage of specialist doctors against sanctioned posts, while in nine hilly districts, the shortage reaches 70%.”What is more, the report went on to add that “However, there’s no policy for specialist doctors’ recruitment, leading to shortage of 94% in Community Health Centres and shortages of 45% and 30% in Sub-District Hospitals and District Hospitals respectively, as per Indian Public Health Standards norms.”Also read: Green Shoots Amid the Rubble: Harbouring Hope for a Better EnvironmentIn a state where the youth are struggling to find employment, not having a policy for recruitment is a serious dereliction of duty.Timely recruitment ensures two major benefits: it would improve health services in far-flung areas and help the youth gain employment. It is the lack of stable employment and incomes that have depressed Uttarakhand’s Gen Z. The youth want to contribute to building a modern state but have no avenue to do so and often join the ranks of those who migrate.Paper leaks, a regular occurrence, and delays in filing vacancies have worsened the situation.The unkindest cut has been the Agnipath scheme that replaced the military’s permanent recruitment policy for soldiers. It took away financial security of thousands of families and disrupted Uttarakhand’s long-standing martial tradition. Belatedly, there has been an announcement that all Agniveers will eventually be absorbed as soldiers. But the fundamental question still remains: why was it tinkered with in the first place?A poor record of public sector job creation can be overcome if the private sector is thriving. Despite claims to the contrary, there has been a failure to generate investments and it has directly impacted the job market.As per the Annual Survey of Industries data, between 2016-17 and 2023-24, the number of factories in Uttarakhand has fallen from 2,987 to 2,897 and the employee strength in factories reduced from nearly 81,000 to 77,000.During this period, several thousand young men and women would have joined the workforce but found themselves without employment in their own state.Growth and development have eluded the state. Based on Reserve Bank of India data, Uttarakhand’s GDP grew at 3.3% annually between 2016-17 and 2024-25. The growth was limited to debt which has ballooned to over Rs 1.08 lakh crore, increasing 144% since 2017. It is this economic reality the youth has to contend with.Also read: Land, Livelihood, and the Future of Uttarakhand’s HillsThe blame for the present misfortunes and the bleak future lies squarely with policies that prioritise the interests of the corporate sector over those of the locals. For example, land rights have been an emotive issue for the people, driven by economic anxieties and fear of demographic change. In 2003, the then Congress government enacted legislation to regulate the purchase of agricultural land by people from outside the state.The BJP government has played around with land rights, first repealing regulations and then re-enacting them after intense opposition, and it has allowed mining to continue unabated. This was done with the view that it would attract investments and accelerate economic growth. As data shows, neither has come to fruition.As Uttarakhand celebrates another state formation day, it must have a conversation on the prevailing development model and whether it has worked for the people. The double-engine government running from Delhi to Dehradun is derailing progress.Uttarakhand cannot afford to continue on the path of neglecting welfare and relentless environmental degradation. The state’s economic bills are ever-increasing while people’s lives have gotten tougher. The Gen Z state must veer back to the statehood movement ideals to ensure Uttarakhand’s youth don’t fall behind.Akash Satyawali is joint secretary, AICC research department.