Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said that efforts would be made to develop Giri Ganga in Shimla district as a major tourist destination in the state.
“Hatkoti temple was a major religious destination of Shimla district and the State Government would ensure that it is beautified and properly maintained,” the Chief Minister said during his one day visit to Jubbal Kotkhai Vidhan Sabha area of Shimla district where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones of developmental projects worth about Rs 31 crores for the area.
The Chief Minister also performed puja at the famous Hatkoti Temple and laid the foundation stone of parking and beautification at Maa Durga Temple Hatkoti.
While addressing a public meeting at Kaharapathar later, he said that the State Government is ensuring all round development of this Vidhan Sabha area.
During the month of July this year he had virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones of developmental projects worth Rs 270 crore. Today, he has dedicated projects worth Rs 31 crore for the people of the area. This year alone he had laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs 301 crore in the area, Thakur said. Speaking about the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that the virus had forced everyone to rethink and re-plan their developmental priorities. All the officers need to re-plan their priorities and also re-fix the goals for time bound completion of various developmental projects in the area.
About 2.50 lakh people of the state stranded in different parts of the country were brought back by the State Government, he added.
Earlier, Thakur inspected the work on construction of eight lane 400 meter Synthetic Track with Sub Base and other allied works at existing playground at Saraswati Nagar being constructed by spending an amount of Rs 12.42 crore. He directed the officers to ensure time bound completion of this track. The CM also inaugurated Ground Water Supply Scheme for various PC habitations of census village Sundli, Nehnar and Guntu in Gram Panchayat Jaipidi Mata of tehsil Jubbal constructed at a cost of Rs 61 lakh. He laid foundation stones of car parking at Jubbal to be constructed at a cost of Rs six crore, LWSS/GWSS for various PC habitations in Gram panchayats Kiari, Panog, Bagahar, Parali (K) and Shilli (K) to cover Functional Household Taps Connection (FHTC) of left out households in Kotkhai tehsil to be built at a cost of Rs 4.99 crore among other projects.