Himachal CM becomes nostalgic during visit to alma mater in Mandi

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur visited his alma mater Vallabh Government Degree College here Tuesday and said basic infrastructure would be set up to boost the tourism sector in the region.

Thakur, accompanied by his wife Sadhna Thakur, became nostalgic while attending the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the college.

While remembering his college days, the CM said college days are one of the best days.

Thakur, who started his political career from this very college, said the place taught him vital lessons of life and helped him to shape his career.

Principal Ashok Awasthi urged the chief minister to construct additional building, staff residences and auditorium in the college.

On this occasion, Thakur said Rs 50 crore tourism development project for Mandi had been sent to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Basic tourism infrastructure would be developed here, he said, adding a helipad would be constructed at Kangnidhar in order to provide heli taxi facility in the region.

He said a medical university would be constructed at New Chowk to provide best medical education to students and the cluster university here would soon be turned into a full-fledged university.

While expressing concern over the use of drugs amongst the younger generation, he announced Rs 25 lakh to construct an open air gymnasium near Paddal here. He also announced Rs 3 crore for maintenance of roads in Mandi town.

Earlier in the day, he laid foundation stone of cluster university building to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 16.19 crore. An amount of Rs 50 crore has been sanctioned for the university to be set up in the state, which will initially cover four colleges of the region.

Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, on the occasion, said the university would be named after Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and start functioning at the earliest.