Himachal's tribal districts will witness revolutionary transformation: Union minister Rijiju

Shimla, Jun 26 (PTI) Union Minister Kiran Rijiju on Thursday said tribal districts of Himachal Pradesh will witness revolutionary transformation as several development projects are in the pipeline.

Addressing reporters in Shimla, the Union minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs said foundation stones of projects worth over Rs 85 crore would be laid during his visit of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts.

Rijiju will visit Kinnaur on Friday and Lahaul and Spiti district the following day.

Himachal Pradesh is the only state in the country that has bagged such large projects, he added.

The government is committed to build robust infrastructure in border areas and with the initiatives of the present government, the development of border areas is now matching China, he said and pointed out that in 2013, the then Defense minister A K Antony said the border areas would not be developed.

The Union minister said he would lay the foundation stone of Rs 73.77 crore High Altitude training Centre at Lahaul and Spiti’s Kaza.

The training centre will have facilities like ice hockey, winter sports, skill development and vocational training, which would give the local youth an opportunity to engage in games along with skill development when the area is closed during winters, he added.

Rijiju will also lay foundation stones of Rs 4.89 crore worth Indoor Stadium that will provide facilities for games like table tennis, badminton and other games at Peo, Green grass turf ground costing Rs 4.79 crore at Gyabang in Kinnaur and Rs 1.48 crore cricket ground at Kaza.

The Union minister said there are more schemes for mid and lower hill areas which he would announce in the second phase.

Rijiju said that he would visit Dharamshala again on July 6 to wish the Dalai Lama on his birthday. PTI BPL NB NB