Himachal: CM Sukhu, his wife visit Tara Devi Temple; prays for peace and prosperity in state

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 1 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Thakur, an MLA from Dehra assembly constituency, visited the Tara Devi temple near Shoghi on Thursday to pay obeisance and seek the blessings of the divine Goddess.
According to an official release, they also prayed for peace, happiness and prosperity for the people of the State. The Temple Committee honoured the Chief Minister on the occasion.
CM Sukhu, on the occasion of the New Year, said the State government was committed to beautifying lesser-known religious shrines and developing new religious circuits. He further emphasised the government's commitment to enhancing religious tourism and improving basic amenities to facilitate the pilgrims.
"Religious tourism serves as a vital bridge between heritage and modern development, where millions of devotees visit annually to seek spiritual fulfilment in the State's Shaktipeeths, while boosting local livelihood," the CM said.
Speaking to the media, Sukhu reflected on the three significant challenges the state has faced over the past three years, with the natural disaster being the worst, followed by economic and political upheaval. Sukhu, however, said that the Government, with the blessings of divine power and cooperation of the people of the State, overcame these challenges.
MLAs Sanjay Awasthy, Vinod Sultanpuri, and Anuradha Rana; Chairman, Buildings and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Nardev Kanwar; Congress leader Pawan Thakur; and senior officers of the district administration accompanied the Chief Minister on the occasion, the release noted.