CM announces Rs150 crore International Convention Centre at Dharamsala

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the construction of the country’s largest International Convention Centre near Tapovan at a cost of Rs 150 crore. He said this convention centre would host seminars by major companies, boost tourism and create employment opportunities for local youth.

While addressing a public gathering at Dari Mela Ground in the Dharamsala Assembly constituency of Kangra district, the CM also announced the operationalisation of Primary Health Centre, Yol Cantt, funding for the construction of a bridge to the IT Park, allocation of adequate funds to complete the OBC Bhawan and road construction projects, including a road from the school in Jhiyol to Anjani Mata, Parol to Ghiyana Khurd Bara Khaula, Kufri to Chamunda Temple, Alkhani to Jayul Kand Kardiyana, Kaned to Jhakhrehad, Cheliyan to Pasu and Tika to Bani and the Lunta-Bagotu-Khabrot-Tillu road.

He said the state government would not compromise on corruption and added that during the previous BJP government government jobs were allegedly sold. The police recruitment scam was a live example of the betrayal with unemployed youth. The present Government was working with transparency and had initiated vigilance inquiries into irregularities in the Jal Shakti Department’s Theog division and took strict action against corrupt practices.

He said the BJP government misused the state treasury for political benefits, while the Congress government has been making earnest efforts to benefit the common people. BJP leaders in the state were politicising the disaster instead of standing with affected families during this critical period.

Sukhu said the Congress government fulfilled its election promise by restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to 1.36 lakh government employees, which will be continued. “The Central Government has put a cap of Rs 1,600 crore on the state’s loan raising limit for reinstating the OPS. Nearly Rs 9,000 crore under NPS is with the Centre which is pressurising the State to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS),” he said.

The Chief Minister said the Centre has not released Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) funds for disaster-affected areas and the demand for a special relief package has also been rejected. “Water and electricity subsidies would continue for the needy while the well-off families are being encouraged to voluntarily surrender subsidies,” he said.

He criticised the local BJP MLA from Dharamsala Assembly segment Sudhir Sharma for betraying the party and the people. “The Congress government does not make decisions for political gains but to ensure public welfare. Despite setbacks in the Dharamsala by-election, the Congress party has regained strength with 40 MLAs in the Assembly,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar highlighted the state government’s focus on agriculture, encouraging people to return to farming to increase their income.

Congress leader and former Mayor of Dharamsala Devender Jaggi accused the local MLA of being absent from public concerns, only appearing on social media.