SHIMLA -22^nd July, 2025

HPU emerges as a pillar of youth empowerment in state: CM

• Extends greetings on 56th Foundation Day of HPU

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has extended greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of the 56th Foundation Day of Himachal Pradesh University. In his message, the Chief Minister said that it was a moment of pride for all of us that the university has completed 55 glorious years of imparting knowledge to the youth. He said that this university was not merely a centre of education but also a reflection of the social, political, cultural and economic development of the state.

The Chief Minister said that the university has produced many meritorious students who have earned great acclaim in various fields and have brought laurels to the state across the globe. He said that he himself was an alumnus of this university and it has played a pivotal role in shaping his life, molding his thoughts and contributing to his overall personality development. He fondly recalled the memorable moments spent at the university, the invaluable guidance of his teachers, and the time shared with friends, which remain vivid in his memory.

Sh. Sukhu emphasized that we were living in the era of information technology and in this age of technology and innovation, it was imperative to move with the times. He said that failing to adapt to change could result in being left behind. Therefore, the university must become a powerful symbol of transformation, where not only academic curricula were modernized but administrative systems were also reformed. He said that the university should adopt flexible and streamlined processes to frame and revise curricula regularly besides introducing fresh and relevant content in line with the changing times.

He further said that new courses should be launched in line with market demand and emerging skills, while outdated and irrelevant courses should be discontinued to make way for contemporary and practical education.

The Chief Minister added that the primary objective should be to ensure that students graduating from the university were not merely degree holders but also skilled, self-reliant and fully equipped to tackle the challenges of the future. In this direction, the establishment of five new research centres was a welcome step.

He lauded the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Mahavir Singh, for this commendable initiative and expressed hope that such progressive changes would continue in the future and enable the university to achieve new heights of success.

He also expressed his gratitude towards the teaching and non-teaching staff of the university for their noble gesture of contributing a portion of their salaries to the Chief Minister Relief Fund in aid of disaster-affected people.

=============================================

Over Rs. 550 crore to be spent on conservation of cultural heritage in State: Mukesh Agnihotri

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today here said that the State Government was fully committed to the conservation of cultural heritage and the modern development of religious sites in the state. He said the government was making continuous efforts to preserve the rich traditions and heritage of the state while also ensuring better facilities for devotees at various pilgrimage sites.

He said that the present government has sanctioned approximately Rs.550 crore so far for the conservation and development of the cultural heritage, religious places, ancient temples and historical monuments in the state. Out of this, nearly Rs. 50 crore has been approved for the restoration of ancient temples forts and archaeological sites. An assistance of Rs. 37 crore has also been provided for various developmental works in state-acquired temples.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that for the convenience of devotees, a SUGAM Darshan system was introduced at Shri Chintpurni Temple from 8^th August 2023, which has helped in crowd management and provided special facilities to the elderly and differently-abled persons. Additionally, digital services like online Langar booking and online Darshan have also been made available. Similar digital arrangements are being implemented in other temple trusts of the state as well.

He said under the PRASAD scheme, Rs. 56.26 crore has been sanctioned for Shri Chintpurni Temple to promote religious tourism and spiritual heritage. A grand complex worth Rs. 250 crore was also being constructed at Shree Chintpurni Temple. Apar from this the government has approved Rs.100 crore each for the development of Shee Jwalaji and Shree Naina Devi temples.

Mukesh Agnihotri said that to ensure purity in religious rituals and chanting of mantras, special training programmes have been introduced for temple priests. Recently, 15 priests from Shri Chintpurni Temple and 10 priests from Shri Naina Devi Temple received online training at the Sanskrit Faculty of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). In the coming days priests from other temple trusts would also be trained in a phased manner.

He said that Rs.11.16 crore has been sanctioned for the maintenance of cultural heritage, while Rs. one crore was being provided annually to religious institutions for regular worship rituals and infrastructure development under the recurring fund scheme. The financial assistance for incense and lighting at smaller temples has also been doubled for the financial year 2025-26.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government was not only focusing on the structural development of temples and cultural sites but was also preserving them as vibrant centers of cultural consciousness and tradition. He said that temples were being digitized and modernized to ensure a safe and convenient experience for all devotees.

Sh. Agnihotri said that the state government was also making consistent efforts to promote rich cultural heritage of the state at national and international levels. He said the government was organizing cultural festivals through digital platforms, documenting traditional practices besides organizing exhibitions to showcase the folk arts, traditional music, handicrafts and customs of Himachal.

He said that this would instill a sense of pride among the youth about their traditions and give a new identity to the cultural legacy of the state. This shared cultural dialogue would also play a significant role in strengthening the unity in diversity of the nation and would prove to be a milestone in preserving the cultural identity of the state.