The Centre’s decision to revoke the incentives given to Himachal Pradesh under a special industrial package has not impeded industrial expansion in the state, with investments worth Rs14,079.63 crore and providing employment to 1,32,066 people cleared till date.
Out of this, 2,616 industrial units were set up at an investment of Rs6120.92 crore during the past three years, which are already providing employment to 36,902 youth in the state.
What is more, several leading industrial houses have shown a keen interest in setting up major projects in the state, even after the withdrawal of the special package.
The Himachal government has taken a proactive stance on pollution and environmental conservation issues and has only allowed units that meet stringent norms to set up shop in the state.
Some distinct advantages like rich natural resources, uninterrupted and cheap power supply, sound industrial infrastructure and the transparent process for clearance of projects were attracting industrialists to Himachal, Industries Director Onkar Sharma said.
Under the Development of Industrial Estate/Industrial Area schemes, industrial sheds and plots equipped with basic infrastructure facilities are being developed in identified industrial areas in the state.
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Sheds and plots are provided to potential entrepreneurs at reasonable rates and on a lease-hold basis. New industrial units are being set up in the 612-bigha the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industrial Area at Davni, in Solan district.
To ensure that land is judiciously and optimally utilised, the state government is identifying both government-held and private land holdings to strengthen the ‘Land Bank’ for setting up industries in the state.
This will ease the pressure on existing industrial belts, which have become saturated, and will also help in spreading industries deeper into the state.
The government has set up a ‘Land Bank’ with more than 8,000 bighas of land and identified another 4,300 bighas of land, including 2,000 bighas in Dabhota, 500 bighas in Kashmirpura Brahmana, 934 bighas for a textile and food park in Manjholi and 750 bighas of land in the Baddi-Barotiwala- Nalagarh area.
In order to strengthen power infrastructure, an MoU has been signed with Gail for laying a 65-km-long gas pipeline from Rajpura, in Punjab, to Baddi to supply natural gas to industrial, transport and domestic users in the state.
A polymer park is also being set up at Baddi for on-the-spot trading of different grades of plastics, Furthermore, a transport hub is to be developed at Beri, in Bilaspur district.
The central government has given in-principle approval for setting up bulk drug and pharma cluster units in Baddi industrial area at a total investment of Rs70.54 crore.
In addition, the central government has sanctioned the project report on a proposed Mini Tool Room and Training Centre at Baddi.
Special attention was being paid to ensuring adequate accommodation for industrial workers and two labour hostels with the capacity of lodging 950 people has been constructed at Baddi.
The state government has also set up a solid waste management plant at Baddi under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode at a cost of Rs35 crore and a common effluent treatment plant is also being set up in this area at a cost of Rs185 crore.