Himachal government will ensure all possible assistance to expedite the work of establishing Central University at Dharamshala and Dehra in Kangra district.

This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the review meeting of Central Projects being executed in the state here on Friday.

Land measuring 303-37-74 hectares had been identified to establish the Central University at Dharamshala out of which around 278-43-79 hectares was forest land and around 24-93-95 hectares was government land, he added.

A case for transfer of forest land in favour of proposed campus of Central University would be submitted to the Government of India for forest clearances, he said, adding that he would personally take up the issue with Government of India so that work on this ambitious project could be completed at the earliest.

Thakur said that the Union Government has agreed in principle for the diversion of 81.79 hectares of forest land for establishing South Campus of Central University at Dehra.

He said that 34 hectares of non forest land had already been transferred for setting up of the South Campus of the University at Dehra.

New school building of Government Senior Secondary School (boys) Dharamshala has been provided to the Central University on temporarily basis, he added.

He said that compensatory afforestation, Net Present Value (NPV), cost of trees and departmental charges amounting to about Rs. 17.28 crore has been released to the Government of India for transferring the forest land measuring 81.79 hectares at Dehra.

A committee would be constituted to expedite forest clearances, he added.
Chief Minister said that the Union Government has also sanctioned an AIIMS for the State which would be established at Kothipura in Bilaspur district.

He said that 681 bighas of land has been transferred to the Health Department and other related issues should be finalized at the earliest.

Government of India has demanded additional 112 bighas of land for this project, he added.

Thakur directed the concerned officers to immediately take up necessary steps to finalize the same so that this ambitious project could be executed at the earliest.

It is pertinent to mention that the central university came into being in 2010. However, the successive governments in Himachal failed to build a permanent campus for the institute at one place, much dot to political handling of the issue.