The model for development should be people-centric while also focusing on economic development, environmental conservation and regionally distributed growth. The State Finance Minister Prakash Pant expressed this view while addressing an interactive session with industry organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
He urged industry to work with the State Government to build these models of sustainable development.
Responding to the questions on the Goods and Services Tax, the Minister said that post GST, all states will be on an equal footing as far as taxes are concerned. Industry will have to compete on quality and cost. He added that the states will have to provide a conducive environment and infrastructure in order to compete for investments.
Expressing his views on the occasion, the state’s tourism minister Satpal Maharaj said that migration is a key concern area with there being scope for solving the problem by promoting tourism.
Inviting private investment in the Public Private Partnership mode, the minister said that the government is also keen to develop the state as a winter tourism destination. He elaborated on the various sub sectors of tourism that the Government is focusing on.
He added that to create accommodation the state government will promote camping sites and caravan tourism. On developing Tehri dam reservoir, he shared that the State is planning to start small cruises and also offer submarine rides to tourist to enable them to see the submerged old Tehri city.
Elaborating on the recent changes in policy to promote the agriculture sector in the state, additional chief secretary Ranvir Singh said that the policy now allows direct purchase from farmers after obtaining license and establishment of private mandis.
He added that the rules for contract farming have also been formed.
He invited industry to take advantage of these changes and invest in the agri sector of the state.
Sharing CII’s Agenda for Growth for Uttarakhand, CII Uttarakhand chairman Vikas Garg said that key pillars of the growth strategy for the State should be retaining existing manufacturing industry which contributes about 40 per cent to Uttarakhand’s GDP; addressing regional growth and development disparities; attracting fresh investments specially in the services sector and sectors where the state has competitive advantages; and striking a balance between development and environment conservation.