Himachal CM Sukhu embarks on 9-day Kangra tour, unveils ₹675-crore projects

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu started his nine-day visit to Kangra district on Friday, where he is set to unveil development projects worth approximately ₹675 crore. On the first day, Sukhu inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for several key projects valued at ₹19.55 crore in the Dharamshala assembly constituency.

The projects launched include a 750 KW solar power plant in Kand Uparli, built at a cost of ₹4.74 crore. Additionally, the CM inaugurated a new women’s police station building costing ₹4.83 crore, a Zila Parishad building constructed for ₹3.16 crore, and a hostel at the Regional Mountaineering Centre worth ₹3.42 crore. Sukhu also laid the foundation stone for the Dhauladhar food street market, which is estimated to cost ₹3.40 crore.

Sukhu’s visit was initially scheduled to begin a day earlier, but adverse weather conditions prevented his helicopter from departing Shimla. Despite the delay, the CM received a warm welcome from Congress workers and local residents upon his arrival in Dharamshala. During the event, Sukhu addressed the public’s grievances and directed officials to resolve issues on priority.

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Focus on Kangra’s development

During interactions with the media, Sukhu emphasized the government’s commitment to prioritizing the development of Kangra district. He announced plans to lay the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art milk processing unit at Dhangwar, with an investment of around ₹250 crore. This project is expected to significantly benefit the rural economy by providing better opportunities for dairy farmers.

The tradition of winter sojourns in Himachal’s lower regions was first initiated by former Congress CM Virbhadra Singh in the 1990s and was later continued by BJP CM Prem Kumar Dhumal. However, the practice declined under the previous Jai Ram Thakur government. Sukhu, the first Congress leader from lower Himachal to become CM, represents the Nadaun assembly constituency in Hamirpur district. His wife, Kamlesh Thakur, is also an MLA, representing the Dehra assembly constituency in Kangra.

Sukhu’s visit is expected to strengthen the government’s connection with the people and ensure the timely execution of developmental projects in the region.