Tag: Kinnaur

Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Improved Air Connectivity Will Open Distant Destinations To Tourists: Sukhu

By LokMarg

To increase the footfall of tourists and achieve the target of tourist arrivals to around five crores annually, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stressed strengthening the air connectivity and said that 16 heliports were being constructed in all the district headquarters including tribal and far-flung areas in a phased manner to facilitate the tourists to access unexplored destinations in no time.

He was presiding over a meeting late Friday evening in this regard. A detailed presentation was also given on how to enhance the tourism influx to achieve the desired target.

It was informed that in the first phase, nine heliports were to be developed including Jaskot in district Hamirpur, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra, Sultanpur in district Chamba, Manali in Kullu, Jispa, Sissu and Rangreek in Lahaul-Spiti and Sharbo in district Kinnaur.

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “Detailed project reports (DPRs) for the construction of Sultanpur, Rakkar, Palampur and Jaskot heliports have been received, while for other heliports, the process was underway. Apart from this, the Kangra Airport was being expanded to facilitate the high-end tourists.” 

The Chief Minister informed that in the second phase, the remaining seven heliports would be set up in Pangi and Holi in district Chamba, Auhar in district Bilaspur, Dharkiyari in district Sirmaur, Chanshal in district Shimla, Jankaur-Haar in district Una and Galanag in district Solan.

He said that FCA approval for establishing Rakkar heliport has been received and FCA cases of six heliports including Jaskot, Manali, Jispa, Sissu, Rangrik, Pangi and Holi have been uploaded on the portal.

“Once commissioned fully, the heliports will prove to be a boon to the tourism sector of the State,” CM Sukhu stated.

“When the destinations are made easily accessible, many people prefer to travel there thereby giving a fillip to the local tourism industry and adding to the economy”, added Sukhu.

Tourism is one of the key sectors contributing to the economy of the State, besides opening up employment and self-employment opportunities to the local youth.

He reiterated that the State Government has decided to make district Kangra as ‘Tourism Capital’ of the State and would spend about Rs 3000 crore on this mega venture. This initiative will bring many new projects in the times to come.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur, Principal Private Secretary to Chief Minister Vivek Bhatia and other senior officers also attended the meeting. (ANI)

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India's First Voter Shyam Saran Negi

India’s First Voter Shyam Saran Negi Passes Away At 106

By LokMarg

Independent India’s first voter, the 106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi passed away Saturday morning at his native place in Himachal Pradesh’s Kalpa, days after he cast his last vote in the 14th Assembly elections of the state.

Negi had cast his first vote in the independent country on October 23, 1951, in the Kalpa polling station, becoming the first voter in the country, and he cast his vote for the 34th time on November 2 this year which became his last, a feat that was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is commendable and should serve as an inspiration for the younger voters to take part in the elections and strengthen our democracy,” PM Modi had tweeted.

The 106-year-old had voted on November 2 through a postal ballot.

Chief Minister Jairam Thakur consoled Negi’s demise and said that the memory of the first voter of the country casting his last vote “will always be emotional”.

“Saddened to hear the news of the demise of Shyam Saran Negi ji, the first voter of independent India and who belonged to Kinnaur. While performing his duty, he cast his postal vote for the assembly elections for the 34th time on November 2, this memory will always be emotional,” Thakur tweeted.

“May God bless his virtuous soul at his feet and give strength to the bereaved family members,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur Amandeep Garg said that Negi will be cremated with full state honour.

Chief Electoral Officer, Maneesh Garg expressed his condolences on the demise of Negi and said that he “motivated generations of voters for exercising their right to franchise for strengthening the democratic set up”.

In a statement, Garg said, “Such was his commitment that he voted till the last breath of his life as he had cast his vote through postal ballot on 2nd November, at his home in Kalpa.”

“Negi was a noble human being and I pray to the almighty to give peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the irreparable loss. He will be cremated with full state honours today,” the statement said.

Popularly known as Master Shyam, he became the first voter of Indian democracy as the general polls of the country were conducted in January and February 1952. Keeping in mind snow and weather conditions, the polls were conducted in the month of October 1951 in Himachal Pradesh. Negi has participated in every Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and all local bodies elections since 1951.

Born in July 1917 in the tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, Negi had been a state icon since 2014. He had cast his vote 16 times in the Lok Sabha elections.

According to the Chief Electoral Office of Himachal, Negi, a teacher by profession, the centenarian has voted in every election since 1951 and has never missed an opportunity to vote.

On the day the 106-year-old cast his last vote, he asked the people of the country to exercise their right to franchise to strengthen the democratic set up.

“The young voters should consider their duty to vote and contribute to strengthening the nation,” he said adding that we should feel proud of our voting right as it helps in choosing the right representative to lead the nation.

District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner, Abid Hussain Sadiq said that a red carpet was laid to bring him to the postal booth set up in the compound of his house, according to an official release.

“Negi was brought on a red carpet till the booth where he exercised his right to franchise and soon thereafter his vote was sealed in an envelope and dropped in the ballot box,” Sadiq said.

Sadiq along with the returning officer cum SDM Kalpa, Major (retd) Dr Shashank Gupta and the other officers and officials of the district administration honoured the first voter of Independent India.

The Chief Electoral Officer also had extended his felicitation to the centenarian voter. (ANI)

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