Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 27 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday called on Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, seeking support for the expansion of Kangra airport and special central assistance for the project.

The Chief Minister highlighted Kangra district's immense tourism potential and said the state government was executing ambitious projects to attract a large number of tourists, according to an official statement from the CM's office.

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During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to introduce special visual flight rules to reduce the minimum visibility requirement from 5 km to 2.5 km, enabling flights to operate during reduced visibility conditions.

He also discussed handing over the Kullu and Shimla airports to the State Police instead of the CISF, given the reduced flight operations and passenger numbers, thereby reducing the financial burden on the state. Additionally, he requested that flight operations at Shimla airport be extended to 4 PM to increase the number of flights.

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The Chief Minister further requested an increase in the frequency of flights between Chandigarh and Shimla.

The Union Minister directed the officers to hold a joint meeting with the concerned officials and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the expansion of Kangra airport. He also assured the state of full support. Chief Minister's Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh was also present during the meeting.

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the state has set an ambitious target to become a Green Energy State in 2026, aiming to meet over 90 per cent of its energy demand through renewable sources.

While presiding over a review meeting with senior officers last evening, Sukhu stated that the State Government was working with a spirit of 'Vyavastha Parivartan', a systemic transformation, to shift Himachal Pradesh towards a clean, self-reliant and sustainable energy future.

Besides, the state is heading towards tapping the geothermal energy resources. Geothermal energy can be a significant additional source of renewable energy, he said, adding that "keeping in mind the changing climatic conditions, Geothermal energy would prove to be a sustainable and secure source of energy". (ANI)

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