Sukhu opens multipurpose indoor stadium in Shahpur

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated a modern multipurpose indoor stadium at Kaliyara in Shahpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district.

Built at a cost of Rs 3.36 crore, the new stadium is equipped with facilities for basketball and badminton, besides a fitness centre.

Addressing a gathering, the Chief Minister said despite political opposition, improvement in education sector remains the priority of the state government. He highlighted that sustained reforms have significantly strengthened the sector, enabling Himachal Pradesh to rise from the 21st to the 5th position in quality education at the national level. He reiterated the government’s decision to convert 100 government senior secondary schools to the CBSE curriculum to enhance learning outcomes in rural areas. The Kaliyara school has already been approved for conversion, with science and commerce streams to be introduced.

On infrastructure development, the CM said Rs 460 crore had been released for the expansion of the Kangra airport to accommodate larger aircraft, boost tourism and enhance employment opportunities. “Additional funds will be released soon to accelerate the project,” he announced.

CM Sukhu said Rs 78 crore had been allocated for establishing advanced laboratories at IGMC, Shimla; Tanda Medical College and the Super Specialty Hospital at Chamiyana, which will improve diagnostic accuracy and medical services across the state.

Encouraging farmers to adopt natural farming, he noted that the government has implemented minimum support prices for wheat, maize and turmeric grown through natural methods, creating new livelihood avenues in agriculture.