National Paragliding School at Bir-Billing Victim of Government Apathy: Jai Ram

Says the premier institute, which could have become a national hub for professional paragliding training, has been rendered ineffective due to poor coordination among government departments.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has criticised the Himachal Pradesh government for keeping the National Paragliding School at Bir-Billing closed for the past nine months, calling it a glaring example of official apathy.

In a statement issued today, Thakur said the prestigious institution—envisioned as a centre for training professional paragliding pilots—has failed to deliver on its potential because of a lack of coordination among departments. He noted that Bir-Billing, recognised globally as one of the safest cross-country paragliding sites, deserves institutional support that matches its international stature.

“The absence of a state-level federation and an authorised body empowered to issue internationally recognised pilot proficiency licences has long hampered India’s ability to train and certify pilots to global standards,” Thakur said. — TNS