Himachal Pradesh govt sets `20k cr investment target

Creating an industry-friendly environment in Himachal Pradesh is the topmost priority of the State government, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Sunday. The government is aiming to bring an investment of about Rs 20,000 crore in manufacturing, tourism, energy, construction and housing with the potential of providing direct employment to about 40,000 persons and indirect employment to about 50,000, he said in a statement here.

To develop Himachal Pradesh as a favourite investment destination of the country, several new policies have been adopted by the state government, such as providing various incentives like cheaper power, easier credit facilities through the State Finance Corporation and the nationalised banks for establishing new industries, he added. The land is also being made available on a low-rate lease basis, and new industries are exempted from sales or purchase tax.

Concessions are being provided on charges for transportation of raw materials from the nearest railhead outside the state, besides the provision of other marginal benefits, he said in the statement. Financial assistance will be given for machinery and equipment in dental clinics, purchase of e-taxi, installation of solar power projects up to 1 MW and fisheries projects along with other enterprises under Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Yojana. A subsidy of 50 per cent will be provided uniformly to all eligible sections on the purchase of e-taxi. The chief minister said 99 per cent of enterprises established in the state come under the Micro, Small and Medium category.

The Industries Department will conduct a detailed survey of these enterprises for identifying their problems and apt redressal. Unity Mall will be established in the state for promoting the One District One Product concept. The state government is considering abolishing the compulsion of the Essentiality Certificate required from the industrialists to increase industrial investment in Himachal. The provision in this respect will be made in the New Industrial Policy, Sukhu added.

In addition, the Bureau of Investment Promotion is being set up in the Industries Department, which will replace the existing single window system. This Bureau will facilitate the potential investors to get all clearances under a single roof. The state government will also look into the issue of delay in obtaining permissions under Section-118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972. Better infrastructure will be created in major industrial areas of the state to facilitate the industrialists and power supply in all the industrial areas will be strengthened and upgraded to provide uninterrupted power supply to the industries, the chief minister said.