Shimla, Jun 19 (IANS): The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Monday decided to go ahead with the land acquisition process for the expansion of the Gaggal airport in Kangra to boost the tourist traffic.

After the expansion of the airport, the runway length would be extended to 3,010 metres to enable the operation of the A320 aircraft.

The airport expansion would go a long way in achieving the government's plan to develop Kangra as a 'Tourism Capital' of the state, an official said.

It also gave nod to the guidelines for Mukhya Mantri Vidyarthi Protsahan Yojana, 2023.

Under this scheme, eligible poor students would be provided a loan up to Rs 20 lakh at the rate of one per cent interest for pursuing engineering, medical, management, paramedical courses, pharmacy, nursing, ITI and polytechnic courses and Ph.D from recognised universities and educational institutions.

It was also decided to constitute a Cabinet sub-committee comprising Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh and PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh to look into the issues pertaining to school management committee and computer teachers.

In order to control the unplanned, unregulated and rampant unauthorised construction activities along the Parwanoo-Shimla Highway national highway (NH) 5, the Shimla-Matour NH, Pathankot-Mandi NH and Kiratpur-Manali Highway NH-3, the Cabinet decided to constitute four-lane planning area.

An area up to 100 metres from the edge of control width on either side of the four-lane will be under the ambit of four-lane planning area.

Additionally, it was also decided that all other four-lane highways in future would also be brought within the ambit of this regulation.

The Cabinet decided to open government Degree College in Tauni Devi in Hamirpur district.