Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) on Thursday emphasised the collective responsibility of society towards the holistic development of children during the 17th meeting of the Uttarakhand State Child Welfare Council held at the Lok Bhavan, here. He stated that child welfare is not merely an administrative task but a sacred responsibility. He said that sensitive and active efforts are essential to improve the lives of children who lack resources, protection, and opportunities.
The Governor called upon the members of the Council to work with greater enthusiasm, active participation, and dedication. He said that a historic institution like the Child Welfare Council must move forward in accordance with changing times through new ideas, innovative working methods, and a modern outlook. The Governor emphasised that all efforts should focus on children’s health, education, rights, and welfare.

He directed that effective “Child Welfare Centres” should be developed at the district level in every district to strengthen child welfare activities so that the benefits of schemes and assistance can reach needy children more effectively. For this, he instructed coordination with all District Magistrates to take the necessary steps for establishing these centres.
The Governor said that organising painting competitions alone is not sufficient. The need of the hour is to prepare children for the challenges of the 21st century, Artificial Intelligence, and the vision of a Developed India. He stressed that more than resources, what is needed is positive thinking and social participation. He also emphasised making child welfare activities more effective through CSR initiatives and support from social organisations.

During the meeting, the Governor directed the newly appointed office bearers and members of the Council to prepare a concrete action plan within one month. He stated that another review meeting would soon be held to take effective and result-oriented decisions in the field of child welfare.
As the tenure of the current executive committee had ended, it was dissolved and a new executive committee was constituted. In the new committee, Dr S Farooq was appointed as Senior Vice President, Mohan Singh Khatri and Pushpa Manas as Vice Presidents, Asha Painyuli as General Secretary, Rohit Kochgave as Treasurer, and Jyotsna Khatri as Joint Secretary.
During the meeting, the Governor approved the estimated income and expenditure for the year 2026–27 of the Child Welfare Council and also gave his consent on various other agenda points. Outgoing General Secretary Pushpa Manas presented and received approval for the minutes of the 16th executive meeting and also presented a brief report on the activities carried out during the previous year.
The meeting was attended by Secretary to the Governor Ravinath Raman, Philanthropist Dr S Farooq, Financial Controller Dr Tripti Srivastava, outgoing Senior Vice President Jagdish Babla, Vice President Madhu Beri, Treasurer Dr Asha Srivastava, Joint Secretary Kamlesh Prasad Bhatt, along with various office bearers, members of the Council, and district executive committee members.