CM opens IPL match

Dharamsala, May 15
The Chief Minister, who was here to inauguarate the first IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Dare Devils here today, said Dharamsala was fast merging as a sports city of Himachal. It would help promote sports tourism in the area and in coming years the city could emerge as a major sports centre for the Northern region.

He thanked the BCCI and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for organising IPL matches in Dharamsala. Dhumal said besides cricket, synthetic track was also being laid in Dharamsala for athletes.

Targeting Congress leaders, Dhumal said some vested interests were playing politics regarding the IPL matches which was unfortunate.

The state govenment had been organising such events rising above all such considerations and it was the shortsightedness of some vested interests that they were trying to play politics with cricket.

The Chief Minister said residents in the border villages of the state were registering themselves under Home Stay scheme in a large number, thereby giving a boost to the border tourism activities.

A number of houses had been registered under the scheme in the Spiti valley and Kinnaur district where people from different parts of the world had been travelling to experience the tribal culture.

He further said the state was poised to attract high-end tourists to visit different parts of the state and had also introduced heli-taxi services to such tourists. He further said there was no big airport in the state which could accommodate landing of huge passanger aircrafts. Efforts were being made to provide all required facilities to the tourists within the state.

Soon river rafting activities would also be started in Dehra and Nadaun. It would give a boost to adventure sports activities in the state.