Shimla, May 30 (IANS) Principal Advisor (Media) to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan, said on Saturday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hill state has been making exaggerated and misleading claims about its performance in the local body and panchayat elections, while feedback received by the Congress from across the state indicated that a large number of party-supported candidates have emerged victorious.

He added that the BJP “is attempting to create a perception of victory through the media, which is far away from the ground reality”.

He said the Congress-backed candidates would also emerge victorious in the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections, as voters across the state appear to be showing clear support for the party.

Speaking on tourism, Chauhan said state’s tourism sector had suffered significant setbacks due to the natural disasters of 2023 and 2025.

“However, the sector is now witnessing a strong recovery, with tourist footfall increasing steadily in major destinations like Shimla, Manali, Dharamsala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Kasauli.”

Lauding tourism initiatives by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chauhan added that the state government has designated Kangra as the tourism capital of Himachal Pradesh and has launched several major projects to boost tourism in the district.

He said the expansion of the Kangra airport is underway and helipads are being developed in different parts of the state.

“Various tourism projects being implemented with the support of the Asian Development Bank are also progressing rapidly. These initiatives were expected to attract high-end tourists and significantly enhance the income and livelihood opportunities of local residents.”

Chauhan also added that the state government has introduced key reforms in the Home Stay Policy to create self-employment opportunities, particularly for the youth and people living in rural areas.

These measures would strengthen the rural economy and open new avenues of income generation, he said.

He added that the state government’s objective is to make tourism the largest and most sustainable pillar of economy of the state.

He said due to the sustained efforts of the Chief Minister, significant progress has been made towards reviving border trade with Tibet through the Shipki-La route after a long time.

This will generate employment opportunities and boost tourism and economic activity in border areas, he added.

Chauhan said that the launch of border tourism in the state is also a result of the Chief Minister Sukhu’s efforts and was already benefiting local communities.

–IANS

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