No. 854/2025-PUB 27th July 2025
Governor Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla chaired a review meeting regarding the Aspirational District Programme today at the Bachat Bhawan in Chamba.
In the meeting, the overall progress and achievements related to developmental aspects of Chamba district and its Aspirational Development Blocks - Tissa and Pangi - were thoroughly reviewed. Various departments presented detailed updates on key performance indicators of development.
The Governor said that the main objective of the meeting was to bring Chamba out of the Aspirational Districts category and ensure that it progresses on par with other developed districts of the state. He stressed that improvement in sectors such as agriculture, health and road connectivity was possible through close co-ordination and discussion between elected representatives, departmental officers and ministers concerned.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, MLAs Neeraj Nayyar and Dr. Hans Raj gave valuable suggestions to improve the key performance indicators under the Aspirational District Programme.
Kuldeep Singh Pathania suggested that special provisions should be made for land acquisition under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for Chamba district, as it is an Aspirational District. He also recommended that the state government be given authority to allow change of use of up to 5 hectares of forest land for road construction under PMGSY. He further proposed increasing the financial assistance of Rs. 1.5 lakh given under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for hilly regions.
Neeraj Nayyar suggested that Chamba should receive special priority and relaxation in norms from the Central Government due to its Aspirational District status. He also shared suggestions regarding the phase 2 construction of Chamba Medical College.
Dr. Hans Raj provided suggestions related to improvements in the district’s healthcare services.
The meeting also discussed promoting Responsible Tourism in Chamba district. Experts from other states shared their experiences and offered meaningful suggestions on the subject.
Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal assured the Governor that all instructions and guidance given during the meeting would be followed thoroughly and effectively.
MLA D.S. Thakur, Secretary to the Governor C.P. Verma, ADM Amit Mehra, SDM Priyanshu Khati, AC to DC Aparajita, Superintending Engineer of PWD Diwakar Singh Pathania, SE Jal Shakti Department Rajesh Mongra, SE from HPSEBL, District Programme Officer (Projects) Jeevan Kumar and other senior officers were present at the occasion.
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