Dehra’s development priority: CM

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated his office and that of the SP in the Dehra Assembly Constituency of Kangra district.

Sukhu, while interacting with mediapersons, said that as the Dehra Assembly constituency lagged in development, the government was now focusing on it. He added that the Chief Minister’s office had been opened in Dehra and officers and staff from the Shimla office would be posted there to facilitate local residents, who would not have to travel to Shimla for various works.

Sukhu said that various new initiatives were being taken to accelerate the development of Dehra. The SP office along with the regional offices of the Public Works Department, Jal Shakti Department and the HP State Electricity Board along with the necessary staff had been approved for the area, he added.

He said that to improve healthcare facilities, a critical care unit and a Block Medical Officer’s (BMO) office were also being set up at the Civil Hospital at Dehra. He added that the government was working to develop Kangra district as the tourism capital of the state and for that purpose, various projects were under implementation in Dehra.

“A zoological park is being set up at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore and the government had recently allocated Rs 4 crore to improve the water facility there. Additionally, the area near the Pong Dam will be developed from tourism point of view and a new hotel will be built in Dehra for tourists,” he added.

Sukhu said that efforts were being made to resolve issues faced by families displaced due to the construction of the Pong Dam. He added that the development of Dehra would also support the adjacent Jawalamukhi and Jaswan-Paragpur constituencies. As Kangra is a big district, it was being developed through strategically-located offices to connect each area with projects backed by sufficient funding.

He said that the government had approved the construction of a four-lane road from Ranital to Mubarikpur, which would enhance connectivity in the area. The government was committed to making Himachal a self-reliant state by 2027 and the most prosperous state by 2032, he claimed.