MP at a loss of words over Gaggal airport privatisation

Blurb — CUHP campus to come up in Dharamsala

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Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 15

The controversy erupted over the proposed privatisation of the Gaggal airport in Kangra district during a press conference of BJP MP from Kangra Kishan Kapoor today.

The MP, while listing his achievements, said the Finance Commission had proposed to spend Rs 400 crore on the expansion of the airport.

When asked what would be the status of the expansion if it was sold to a private player as proposed in the disinvestment policy of the Union government, Kapoor was at a loss of words and said it would be seen when the airport was privatised.

The Centre had proposed to privatise the Gaggal airport along with 12 others.

The Gaggal airport is the biggest and busiest domestic airport in Himachal. It receives four flights a day. The issue of expansion has been on the agenda of the state government for the past more than a decade. However, it being listed for privatisation, the issue of expansion is likely to generate political heat in the district.

Kapoor also said the Congress was spreading lies regarding the location of Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP). The campus would come up in Dharamsala. The government was trying to sort out the matter of allotment of land at Jadrangal in Dharamsala, he said.

He said the Union Ministry of Surface Transport had released Rs 197 crore as the first instalment for the four-laning of the Pathankot-Mandi highway.

Kapoor said the government had released Rs 10 crore for war museum at Dharamsala and the project would be completed soon. The war museum that was constructed during the stint of the previous Congress government has been awaiting completion for the past four years.

The MP targeted the Congress for failing to bring up a tulip garden in Dharamsala. He said the Congress had proposed a tulip garden. Already Rs 7 crore had been spent on it, but not even a single tulip had blossomed, he said.

He admitted that the hotel industry was under the financial stress due to corona restrictions and said the government was considering providing financial relief to the industry.

The MP also claimed that the Union government had allowed 24 activities under MGNREGS to provide employment to people. Some panchayats were not taking the benefit of the relaxed conditions under MGNREGS.