Desperately vying for special industrial package and capital subsidy for industries to give a boost to industrial sector in the State, Himachal Pradesh officials, including the Industry Minister, will participate in a high-level meet with the Central Government on January 11.
The high-level delegation led by State Industry Minister Mukesh Agnihotri will meet Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma and senior union industry department officials and would seek restoration of industrial package in State. The meeting on January 11 is scheduled to be in continuation to the earlier meeting held couple of months back.
With expiry of industrial package in the state, State Government has been taking up the matter with the centre vigorously and the issue for restoration of industrial package to give a boost to the industrial sector in the state was also part of election manifesto of Congress. According to industry department officials, matters regarding pending capital investment subsidy for three new industrial areas in the state will be taken up in the meeting alongwith setting up of announced Foreign Trade Centre at Shimla.
Union commerce and industries minister Anand Sharma in his last visit to the state had announced for setting up of foreign trade centre at Shimla and had assured of all kind of help from centre to give a boost to industrialisation in state. Himachal Pradesh Government had already announced for setting up of three new industrial areas in the state in Kandrodi of Kangra district, Pandoga of Una district and Dabota of Solan district for which land has been identified.
In first phase two industrial areas will be setup including one at Kandrodi at Kangra with the cost of Rs 106 crore and Pandoga of Una district with the cost of Rs 100 crore. "We will seek help from the centre for the proposed industrial areas, industrial package, clearances for some pending industrial projects and discuss modalities to strengthen the necessary infrastructure including construction of roads for the industries and industrial areas in the state,” said industry minister Mukesh Agnihotri.