Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that the state government has allocated Rs 13 crore for the construction of four heliports – two at Rakkad and Palampur in Kangra district, one in Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district and one in Chamba.
Sukhu said that the government was making earnest efforts to construct heliports at all the district headquarters in the state so that air connectivity could be provided to tourists as well as local people.
“Himachal has hilly geographical terrain and construction of heliports in the state would go a long way in attracting tourists and saving their time,” he said, adding that heliports would also prove boon to provide prompt assistance to the local residents in case of any emergency.
The Chief Minister said that in addition to the horticulture and hydropower sectors, the tourism sector too can play a vital role in strengthening the economy of the state.
He said that keeping this in view, the government is giving priority to the tourism sector as thousands of families are associated either directly or indirectly with this sector.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was making all-out efforts to strengthen the tourism infrastructure to facilitate tourists.
Sukhu said that a target has been set to attract 5 crore tourists every year in the state and infrastructure was being developed accordingly.
“The current state government has launched various schemes benefiting the tourism sector. The inaugural Winter Carnival in Shimla played a significant role in increasing the number of tourists visiting the state,” he added.