The State Government would soon bring out a mega industrial policy to boost the industrial sector in the State that has been facing a sluggish growth since special industrial package granted to Uttarakhand in 2010 expired.
Keeping in view the present cut- throat competition the industrial sector is facing, it is vital to create a level-playing field for the entrepreneurs in the hill state, said state finance and industrial development minister, Indira Hridayesh.
Asked how the mega industrial policy is going to help the industrialists, she said that it would address the industrialists' concerns related to basic things like land acquisition and electricity. “State Government is seriously focusing on how to provide uninterrupted electricity to the industries in the State,” she said.
“The power situation is not so bad in Uttarakhand. We are purchasing power from other sources. But to augment power generation, we have to explore other options like solar power and smaller hydropower projects. We call upon the industrialists to invest in smaller power projects of 500 mw. If there are certain concerns over setting up power projects in Ganga there are several other rivers which can be used for power generation,” maintained the minister. She further said that they were expecting clearance would promptly come for the hydro power projects which have been pending for long. She met several industrialists based in Udham Singh Nagar on Monday and assured them to address their grievances on priority basis.
Notably, Congress-led UPA Government withdrew the same special industrial package accorded to the hill state by the BJP-led NDA Government on the formation of the state.
The then BJP government in the state urged the UPA government to reconsider the decision. However, the Centre did not change its decision on the withdrawal of the package.
Despite the state government having tried to give necessary push to its industry sector by bringing in special hill industrial policy and some other promotional measures over the years, the result is not encouraging.
The interesting fact is that even after Congress came to power in Uttarakhand in 2012, the UPA Government did not listen to the state's demand for granting special industrial package to it.