Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday distributed appointment letters to 187 candidates selected through the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) and the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, saying the appointments reflected the trust of the people and a commitment to public service.Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami poses for a group photo as he hands over appointment letters to the newly selected officers at the Chief Servant's Residence, in Dehradun on Friday. (@pushkardhami)The appointment letters were distributed during a programme held at the Mukhya Sevak Sadan at the Chief Minister’s camp office. According to an official statement, 182 candidates selected through the PCS Main Examination-2024 and five candidates selected as personal assistants in the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department received appointment letters.CM highlights transparency in recruitment processAddressing the newly selected candidates, Dhami said the appointment letters were not merely documents of entry into government service but also symbols of the trust and expectations of the people of Uttarakhand.“This appointment letter is not only a document of entry into government service, but also a symbol of the trust, expectations and commitment to public service of 1.25 crore people of Uttarakhand,” the Chief Minister said.He added that an officer’s identity would be determined not by designation but by work culture, sensitivity and commitment towards public service.Dhami said around 1.5 lakh candidates had applied for the PCS Main Examination-2024 and over 71,000 appeared in the examination, out of which 182 candidates were selected.The Chief Minister also referred to the state government’s anti-copying law, describing it as one of the strictest anti-cheating laws in the country. He said the law had strengthened the confidence of young aspirants in recruitment examinations.According to Dhami, more than 34,000 youths have been appointed to government services in Uttarakhand over the past four-and-a-half years through “transparent and fair” recruitment processes.Focus on public service and employment opportunitiesDhami said public office in a democracy meant serving people rather than exercising authority. He urged the newly appointed officers to ensure that government schemes and services reach people in remote areas with transparency and sensitivity.“Every citizen coming from remote areas should experience respect, trust and timely solutions in government offices,” he said.The Chief Minister said the government aimed to provide employment opportunities to youths according to their talent and qualifications so they would not be compelled to migrate outside the state in search of jobs.He also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement describing the third decade of the 21st century as “Uttarakhand’s decade”, and said newly appointed officers would have an important role in achieving that vision.Cabinet ministers Ganesh Joshi and Dhan Singh Rawat, along with senior officials and legislators, were present at the event.