Himachal Sees 100 Industrialists Applying for Lease Transfer, Says Minister

During a question hour in the state assembly on Wednesday, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan revealed that around 100 industrialists in Himachal Pradesh have applied for lease transfers and power supply disconnections. He responded to questions from BJP members Janak Raj and Jeet Ram Katwal, stating that only one industrial unit, K Kiran P International Private Limited, has moved to Haryana.

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Industrial Closures and Government Response

Chauhan explained that the closure of industrial units is a common occurrence due to various reasons such as financial difficulties, losses, or family disputes. He mentioned that the government lacks information on these closures because industries do not notify the state when they shut down. The government plans to investigate the reasons behind these closures and ensure measures are taken to prevent the migration of industries.

Bikram Thakur of BJP accused the government’s policies of driving industries away and questioned whether the expansion of existing units was included in the new setups. Jeet Ram Katwal added that he was aware of 10 industries leaving and urged the government to gather data for further discussion in the winter session.

New Industrial Developments

Chauhan highlighted that from January 1, 5,293 new industrial units have been established, including small, medium, and large enterprises. The authority has approved 402 units with an investment of Rs 8,459 crore, generating employment for 29,970 people. He assured that electricity would be provided at Rs 1 per unit less than neighbouring states and subsidies would continue as promised by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Kangra Airport Expansion

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed another query from Sudhir Sharma (BJP) and Kewal Singh Pathania (Congress) regarding compensation for land acquisition for Kangra Airport expansion. He stated that adequate compensation would be provided. While expanding Kangra Airport is a priority due to its feasibility, establishing an airport at Balh in Mandi district also remains a focus.

Sukhu criticised the previous BJP government for providing only Rs 1 crore equity to the Airport Authority of India for the Rs 4,000 crore project. He noted that Rs 1,000 crore allocated by the 15th Finance Commission for this airport has neither been received nor acknowledged by the Centre.

Tourism Initiatives

Sukhu also mentioned that no agreement has been signed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for setting up a Rs 400 crore Convention Centre. Additionally, 600 Bigha in Kuladhar will be developed as a tourism destination. Responding to allegations from Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur about Kangra being declared Tourism Capital without substantial progress, Sukhu stated that Rs 13 crore each have been sanctioned for heliports at Chamba and Rakkar. Heliports at Baddi and Rampur are already ready.

The steps taken by the government to develop Kangra as a Tourism Capital will be reflected in the next budget. This includes ongoing projects like heli-taxi services and ropeway projects which are expected to make significant progress soon.

The government's efforts aim to boost industrial growth while addressing issues causing industry migration. The focus on infrastructure development and tourism is expected to contribute significantly to the state's economy.