Baddi to get an inland container depot

One of Himachal Pradesh's fastest growing industrial areas, Baddi, is to get an inland container depot (ICD) to facilitate its export warehousing needs. This information was provided by the Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh on his visit to Shimla yesterday.

"Baddi alone has a potential for exporting goods worth Rs 1,000 crore and badly needs an ICD and other infrastructure and the Centre is willing to help," said Ramesh. The ICD is expected to cost Rs 20 crore he said.

"Apart from this there is also a need to improve roads, housing and other infrastructure in Baddi for which also the Central government will be chipping in," the minister said.

"I have been told by the state government that it will be sending us a project proposal for approval of two Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in the Kangra and Una districts, in one months' time," he said.

"I shall be taking up the various central government subsidy schemes, including investment and transport schemes involving investment of Rs 75 crore and Rs 25 crore respectively, with the finance ministry," the minister added.

He said he had spoken to the APEDA chairman in New Delhi to visit the state in the next ten days and help provide expertise to Himachal Pradesh in setting up cold storage plants, marketing, contract farming and other areas.

"There is a need for developing the handloom and handicrafts sector as it generates jobs," he said. "The Centre is providing Rs 2 crore help to set up a handloom cluster in Kullu.".

"If the state government sends us a proposal for setting up an urban haat on the lines of 35 existing haats in the country we are willing to provide 70 per cent aid," the minister said.