Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the ten-day long Winter Carnival Shimla at The Ridge here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that it was the present state government who started Winter Carnivals at Shimla and Dharamshala for the first time. He said that Winter Carnival Manali was also being organized on a large scale by the state government.

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Sukhu said that such carnivals and festivals depict the rich culture and traditions of the state. “The State Government was making earnest efforts to harness the tourism potential of the state so that more and more tourists are attracted towards the state thereby it could become a most favoured tourist destination,” he said.

He further said that the government has issued a notification regarding opening of restaurants and other eatable shops round-the-clock from December 23 to January 5 so that tourists and visitors do not face any inconvenience during their stays in the state. Assuming that the state government would provide all logistic assistance to the tourists, he urged the visitors to enjoy the carnival and snowfall.

Sukhu also made a fervent appeal to all to keep the state polythene free by using dustbins.The Chief Minister expressed hope that hilly areas of the state including Shimla city would get another spell of snowfall during Christmas and New Year which will be an added attraction for the tourists.

Sukhu also participated in Mahanati and flagged off cultural parade on the occasion in which participants from 11 districts took part.