HP governor calls on PM

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked him for accepting the invite to inaugurate 'Global Investors Meet' being organised by the state government in Dharamshala.

He said the state government has succeeded in signing MoUs for projects worth Rs 85,000 crore so far. All these efforts would create new employment opportunities and bring prosperity to the state, he added.

The governor thanked the prime minister for granting in-principle approval for construction of an international airport in Mandi district and expansion of Shimla, Kangra and Kullu airports in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India.

He said there was a great need for expansion and strengthening of railway services in Himachal Pradesh, including the upgrade of the Shimla railway line. He urged for cooperation in completing the work of the strategically important Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri-Leh railway line.

Dattatreya said there is immense potential for tourism in Himachal Pradesh and the state government has taken steps to promote tourism activities. He apprised the prime minister that he has proposed to start Himachal Tourism Centres in the states of Telangana and Karnataka so that tourism could also play a major role in connecting Northern India with the South.

He also apprised that the state was vulnerable to natural disasters like flash floods, cloudbursts, forest fires, droughts, cold waves and avalanches etc. and therefore there was a need to enhance the size of State Disaster Response Force and SDRF be funded 100 percent by the Central government.