Union Minister of State for Youth Services, Sports, Ayush and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju declared that a Winter Sports Centre will be opened in Himachal Pradesh. The Sports Authority of India team will come to the state soon and the site will be selected to set up the Centre.
Rijiju said that a sports academy will also be set up in Dharamshala, Chamba, Dalhousie, etc. in the western end of the Himalayas. The locations will be finalised after talks with the Himachal Pradesh government. The High Attitude Training Center in Shilaroo, Shimla district will be upgraded, so that players can get better facilities there.
The Winter Sports Centre will be set up at a cost of Rs. 50 crore. Rijiju also announced Rs. 50 lakh for gym and equipment for youth in Chamba assembly constituency. And, Rs. 25 lakh for setting up a gym in Dalhousie, Bhatiyat and Bharmour assembly constituencies. Along with this, necessary funds will be provided for the multi-sports complex to be set up in Chamba. The estimates will be prepared soon for this by the officials.
Sports minister wanted to ensure that India is named in the top 10 list in the Olympics to be held in Los Angeles in 2028. The government is ensuring work is going on towards this goal, and state-of-the-art training centers have been opened across the country.
Earlier, he flagged off a motor rally which had been organised as part of the campaign which concluded on Sunday. The Union Minister also presented prizes to the winner and runner-up Rider of the ‘Chamba Car Rally.’ Rijiju said that organising a motor car and bike rally in Chamba was very challenging, but it has been successfully organized for which the district administration deserves appreciation.
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Kiren Rijiju mentioned that he first came to Dalhousie and Kalatop in 2004 and then he wished to visit Chamba, which has been fulfilled now. Herbs hold medicinal value and as he’s part of the Ministry of AYUSH, therefore large scale plantation of medicinal plants will take place in the Himalayan region. This is to ensure people can have its commercial use to strengthen Himachal Pradesh’s economy.
He also focused on the beauty of Chamba while urging the city dwellers to visit these destinations more. Further, he added that Indians must visit local places like Chamba, instead of spending rupees over foreign travel.
Chamba is a natural paradise, as is most of the Himachal Pradesh, it is located on the banks of River Ravi. As of now, the state is known for its adventure activities such as trekking, hiking, and adventure destinations.
The decision of introducing a winter sports centre will help attract more visitors and travellers along with opening the state’s opportunities to host games in future.
