Tourism and hydro are Himachal's key strengths now

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, discusses with Neeraj Thakur and Parth Singh big-ticket hospitality projects and his plans for the state's rural economy. Edited excerpts

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What is Himachal Pradesh's strategy for economic growth?

We are opening up tourism in Himachal. In our budget, we have made a provision for 200 five-star hotels. Hotel operators can select preferred sites and apply directly. For this, we are setting up a Tourism Promotion Council, which will soon be officially notified. As a pilot project, we are also planning four nature-based hotels across the state.

We are also building heliports in the tourism industry and by next year, all heliports will be ready. Expansion work for the Dharamshala-Kangra airport has begun.

Our second focus is on the hydro sector. Around 13,000MW have already been harnessed. If there is any state that can truly become a hub for green hydrogen, it is Himachal Pradesh.

Are you planning an investor summit? Some of India's top industrialists have already planned their green hydrogen projects...

They should invest in Himachal. We are opening up the industrial policy in our state. And for an investor summit, yes, we are thinking about it.

How many jobs do you think this shift could create?

If we open up tourism in that direction, it will not only boost the sector but also align with our Himachali culture of hospitality. Many of our people are already working across India in hospitality and this will help create jobs for them within the state.