5-day Winter Carnival begins at Manali

Our Correspondent

Kullu, January 2

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagged off the parade of tableaux presented by mahila mandals, cultural troupes, government departments and institutions from the Circuit House towards the Mall Road to mark the beginning of the 12th National Level Winter Carnival at Manali today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY CHIEF MINISTER

• The CM announced that the Protsahan Rashi given to mahila mandals would be hiked from Rs 20K to Rs 25K
• He said that a provision of Rs 10 crore would be made for the construction of a new bridge near 15 Mile in Manali
• The Rohtang Manalsu, HPTDC Hotel at Manali, would be renovated
• A study would be conducted to explore the possibility of creating a parking lot on the land of the electricity board
• Skiing events would be organised in Manali in the near future.

The parade featured a vibrant display of traditions, culture along with messages supporting social causes. Around 25 cultural troupes from across the country and about 250 mahila mandals from the Kullu valley are participating in the five-day carnival. Cultural performances and star-studded nights would be presented during the carnival.

Earlier, the Chief Minister offered prayers at Mata Hadimba temple. He later inaugurated a cultural programme at the Manu Rangshala by lighting a ceremonial lamp. He announced that the Protsahan Rashi given to mahila mandals would be increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. He said that a provision of Rs 10 crore would be made for the construction of a new bridge near 15 Mile in Manali. The Rohtang Manalsu, HPTDC Hotel at Manali, would be renovated, he added.

Sukhu said that a study would be conducted to explore the possibility of creating a parking lot on the land of the electricity board. He announced that skiing events would be organised in Manali in the near future.

He said that Kullu district had suffered huge losses due the rain disaster last year. He added, “Even I could not reach Kullu to preside over the state-level Independence Day function due to massive devastation caused in Shimla by the monsoon fury, as 51 people were killed in one day. As many as 16,000 houses, including 4,000 completely, were damaged in the state.”

Sukhu said that despite a financial crisis, the state government had announced a Rs 4,500 crore special relief package for disaster-affected families. He added that the government had increased the relief amount manifold and Rs 34 crore had been disbursed to disaster-affected families in the region.

Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh praised mahila mandals for their positive contributions to various fields. He said that the Winter Carnival celebrated at Manali every year showcased the rich culture and traditions of the region. Manali MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur thanked the Chief Minister for providing liberal funds for the development of his Assembly constituency. He said that the process for the construction of the Manali bypass had been initiated and the work on the ice skating rink project would begin soon.

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