Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday stressed on the need for ‘out of the box ideas’ for ensuring all round development of Himachal Pradesh and said the government needs to work for sectors, which hardly find mention anywhere.

Addressing the officials in State Planning Board meeting to approve the annual plan, Thakur said, though this was a past practice of laying down and approving the annual plan but we need to do something different which has not been done so far.

“We have to work for development of those sectors which hardly find mention anywhere,” he said while advocating for easing norms for private players in vital sectors such as Tourism, Youth Services and Sports, Hydel Generation besides other major sectors.

“We have to think ‘out of the box’ for achieving the unachieved, for undertaking the development never witnessed before and not merely following past practices,” he said, while instructing officials to come out with 13 to 15 new schemes in the Budget session.

He said he knew about the financial constraints the government is facing and financing for projects can be done by funding agencies or with the assistance of the Union Government. “But we need to conceive new ideas and submit the proposals,” he said.

“Can we improve and strengthen the existing set up? The need of the hour was to give fillip and identify such sectors in which we can excel or compete with other states, though Himachal was doing best in many sectors, but yet a lot more could be achieved,” he said.

He said there was the need to change the thinking that by merely announcing any institution hastily, we move a step ahead towards development.

For the development of overall efforts and commitment was required, if the government announce something, it should be ensured that the institute gets proper infrastructure and adequate staff as well.

“Time and again we talk of tourism, and its promotion, but have failed to conceive an idea as how to go for the big projects. We should ponder how to manage funds from funding agencies and what infrastructure was required,” he said.

The CM said out of total hydel potential of around 27000 MW, the state has managed to harness only 10,500 MW.

Unless we ease, the norms for private investors likely to invest in Hydel generation, we cannot realise of becoming Hydel hub.

Just because of some limitations, as of say section 118 of HP land Act we are closing doors for the private sector to invest vis-à-vis limiting scopes of employment and development, he said.