Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various development projects amounting to Rs 184 crore in Hamirpur district.

He laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Multipurpose Sports Complex at Kharidi in Nadaun, being developed with an outlay of Rs 65 crore.

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This modern facility will feature an eight-lane swimming pool, a shooting range and dedicated areas for wrestling, boxing, Kabaddi, yoga, table tennis, and badminton.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the state government was constructing such multipurpose Sports Complex in other parts of the state also to channelize the energy of the youth in the right direction.

He emphasized the importance of sports in encouraging youth to refrain from drugs and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

“This sports complex will be a symbol of our commitment to nurturing talent and ensuring the physical and mental well-being of our youth,” he said.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation for setting up two farmers’ training centres at Dhanpur (Bara) and another at the Agriculture Complex in Hamirpur, to cost Rs 4.50 crore.

“These centres are envisioned as hubs for empowering farmers through knowledge dissemination, skill development, and the adoption of modern agricultural practices,” said he.

The training programs will cover areas such as minor irrigation techniques, crop diversification, and advanced vegetable production methods.

Furthermore, the centres will play a pivotal role in the formation and strengthening of Krishak Vikas Associations (KVAs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), transforming them into sustainable business entities.

Sukhu also performed foundation stones of widening and strengthening of five roads, namely, Rs 35 crore Pattha-Salauni-Deothsidh, Rs 49 crore Rangas-Kangu-Dhaneta road, Rs 5.67 crore Gandiyan-Badaitar road and Paniyala-Kashmir and Dhaneta-Barsar roads to be done a cost of Rs. 16 crore to provide improved and efficient transportation facilities to the people of the area.

The Chief Minister inaugurated a Centre of Excellence at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bara, established at a cost of Rs 1.31 crore. This facility aims to provide high-quality vegetable saplings to farmers in Hamirpur district and surrounding areas, with a production capacity of 3.50 lakh saplings annually, covering 1,400 hectares of agricultural land of the progressive farmers.

He said that the state government was dedicated to strengthening the rural economy.

“To support this, we will purchase naturally grown wheat at Rs 40 per kg and maize at Rs 30 per kg. Moreover, the minimum support price for cow milk has been raised from Rs 32 to Rs 45 per liter, and for buffalo milk from Rs 47 to Rs 55 per liter. Additionally, a state-of-the-art milk processing plant is being established at Daghwar in Kangra district at a cost of Rs 250 crore. This fully automated facility will have an initial capacity of 1.50 lakh liters per day (LLPD), with the potential to expand up to three LLPD,” he said.