Blaming Punjab and Haryana Governments for withdrawal of the special Industrial Package to Himachal Pradesh, three years before it was to expire this year, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday asked the Centre to restore the package to the state. “Punjab and Haryana can demand package for them. But they should not oppose package given to us. They started a concerted campaign to end our package,” Chief Minister alleged while addressing a press conference here.
A special industrial package with several concessions for setting up new units was provided in 2003 by the NDA government to HP, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and North East states.
The concessions included excise exemption, income tax holiday, capital subsidy and transport subsidy, the CM said adding investment worth Rs 13,000 Crore had come to the state due to the package.
Virbhadra denied claims of Punjab and Haryana Government that industrial units from State had migrated to Himachal Pradesh. “I am not aware of a single unit from two States having shifted based to Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
“We would request the Centre to restore package to Himachal Pradesh do that macro and small scale units come to hill State. I want to stay as a good neighbour to Punjab and Haryana. They should also not do anything to harm our interest,” he said.