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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday reviewed the ongoing projects of the Tourism Department and stated that Rs. 460 crore has been disbursed to beneficiaries for land acquisition for the expansion of Kangra airport, while another Rs. 1,899 crore is ready for disbursement, said the release.
Himachal CM said that the expansion of Kangra airport is of paramount importance as it will bolster the economy of not only Kangra district but also the adjoining districts. It will go a long way in promoting tourism activities in this region, thereby generating employment and self-employment opportunities for the local youth. He said that the expansion of this airport would also attract high-end tourists to the area. The Chief Minister also reviewed the ongoing project of setting up heliports across the State and directed to accelerate the construction work. The operational authorisation for Sanjauli and Rampur Bushair heliports has been received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and it has been directed that operations should commence soon after completing the remaining codal formalities. CM Sukhu also reviewed the ongoing construction work of other heliports being set up at Kagnidhdar in Mandi district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, Sultanpur in Kullu district, Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district, and Jaskot in Hamirpur district, and instructed the officers to complete these projects by next year. He stated that improved air connectivity for tourists will boost tourism in these areas. He requested that the new routes for helicopter operations be identified and implemented to facilitate tourists. He said that tourism is the mainstay of the economy of the State and the present State Government was promoting tourism in a big way. CM Sukhu has directed the expedited construction work of the Auhar tourist complex in Bilaspur district, as 46 per cent of the work has been completed so far. He also reviewed various tourism projects being constructed with ADB funding and instructed the acceleration of construction work on these projects. Principal Secretary of Tourism, Devesh Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister, Rakesh Kanwar, Director of Tourism, Vivek Bhatia, and other senior officers attended the meeting. (ANI)
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