The Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state has again pressed the case for the central government to extend the Concessional Industrial Package (CIP) scheme for hill states, which has created an industrial boom in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has already asserted the withdrawal of the cent percent excise exemption, a key component of the CIP, on March 31, has adversely affected the proposed investments of Rs 32,630 crore and the employment of 264,000 people.
A new book released by the state government has painted a rosy picture of the industrial scenario. Already, the Chief Minister has asserted that the BJP rule in the first three years alone in the hill state is far better than that of the full five years of previous Congress government in terms of investments and revenue generation.
The new book claimed that nearly 237 industries have given their consent to set up new units in the state. This would entail an investment of Rs 4431 crore, it said.
Besides, 2318 units are also in different stages of construction. This will create an investment of Rs 13,765 crore and provide employment opportunities to over 200,000 people.
The book also claimed that 44 industrial estates in the private sector had been set up on an area comprising 3971.15 acres.
It however did not talk much about the special integrated hill industrial policy which was declared in 2008 for a period of 10 years except that investments worth Rs 350 crore are in the pipeline. The book was released to highlight the achievements of Nishank, who completed one year in office.
The BJP had already announced that a hig-level party delegation led by former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani would call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand the extension of the CIP.
