Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday inaugurated the commencement of the Bulk Drug Park constructed at Panjuvana in Haroli Assembly constituency of Una district.

Addressing a public gathering on this occasion, Sukhu termed this project as a "revolutionary initiative" of the state government which would go a long way in significant transformation of the entire region besides providing employment and self-employment opportunities to the local people.

The state government would provide land at a nominal cost of one rupee, electricity at the rate of three rupees per unit and free water for a period of ten years to the industries coming up in the Bulk Drug Park. The state government would also extend financial support for the construction of a five-kilometer railway line from Jaijon to Polian costing approximately Rs. 3400 crore.

The Chief Minister said the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi scheme had been launched from Haroli and commencement of the Bulk Drug Park within 48 hours, were two significant developments in Una district. Under the Pyari Behna scheme, the women would receive Rs. 18,000 annually. He said that reinstating the old pension scheme for government employees and providing financial assistance of Rs. 3 lakh to widows for building homes reflects the government's dedication to its employees and efforts towards women empowerment. The state government would also bear education expenses for the education of widows' children up to the age of 27. He said a Center of Excellence was also coming up at Kandaghat in district Solan, which aims to provide higher education to 9,000 specially abled children of the state.

 Sukhu said that the previous BJP government mismanaged the state's finances, which has put every resident of the state under a debt burden of Rs. 1.25 lakh. The present state government was committed to strengthening the state's economy and making it a self-reliant state.

He added that Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has dedicated himself to the development of Haroli Assembly constituency and contribution has been significant.

The Deputy Chief Minister thanked the Chief Minister for allocating Rs. 1000 crore for construction of the Bulk Drug Park and said that now the park would be developed without involving private agencies. The residents of Volleyball, Kuthar Beet, and Poliyan would benefit from the project. Earlier the people of this area had to face various challenges like proper health care, education and water facilities. To meet the electricity requirement of the area, the government has made a provision of Rs. 40 crore and there would be no power shortage from next year.
 
Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that it was a significant moment for Haroli, as the Chief Minister initiated major projects for the area. The bulk drug park would help in manufacturing raw material for the pharmaceutical industry and reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
 
CM INAUGURATES 32 MW SOLAR POWER PROJECT

In another function, the Chief Minister formally inaugurated the 32 MW Pekhubela solar power project, developed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) at Pekhubela in Una district. The project spans 49 hectares and has been completed at a cost of Rs. 220 crore.

The foundation stone for this project was laid by Sukhu in December, 2023 and within a span of approximately four months and the power generation commenced on 15 April, 2024.

Sukhu stated that the project was expected to produce 6.61 crore units of electricity each year. This would generate Rs. 19.17 crore revenue for the state at a rate of Rs. 2.90 per unit. The project features 82,656 solar modules with electricity being transmitted through the Rakkad-Tahliwal transmission line. Moreover, the Pekhubela solar project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 2,532 tonne annually. He added 19,200 workdays were generated during the construction of this project.

He said Himachal Pradesh was marching ahead to become the first green energy state of the country. As part of this initiative, the state government has set a target for HPPCL to install 500 MW of solar power capacity. He said that to achieve this target, currently the Corporation has allotted construction of three solar projects totalling 47 MW and one of these projects has been completed.

To enhance the power generation capacity, the government has invited tenders for seven additional solar projects with a combined capacity of 72 MW through HPPCL, said the Chief Minister. The detailed project reports (DPR) were being prepared for four solar power projects totalling 54 MW, whereas pre-feasibility reports for ten solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 77 MW were also in progress. He said that FCA permissions were being sought for 50 MW of solar power projects, with another 200 MW of solar projects in the exploratory stage. These include 160 MW in district Una, 110 MW in district Solan, 170 MW in district Kangra, 50 MW in district Mandi and 10 MW in district Bilaspur.