Town & Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani on Saturday said the Himachal Pradesh government is focusing on future-ready urban development through planned housing, innovation and digital governance initiatives.
Chairing a review meeting of HIMUDA, the minister said urban development has become a key pillar of the state’s growth strategy amid rapid urbanisation. He highlighted ambitious projects such as Him Chandigarh, Him Panchkula and Kangra Valley Aero City aimed at promoting balanced regional development.
Dharmani said land for the Him Chandigarh project is being acquired through mutual agreement and land pooling, while a riverfront development project along the Sirsa River is also being planned with environmental conservation in focus.
The minister said the HIMUDA Start-up and Student Innovation Policy will provide funding of up to Rs 5 lakh to young entrepreneurs to strengthen the state’s innovation ecosystem and create employment opportunities. The government is also exploring support for disaster management-related start-ups.
He further announced that HIMUDA will launch an integrated digital platform offering online services such as allotment, e-drawing and e-auction to improve transparency and citizen-centric service delivery.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
