Bulk drug park and medical device park are in cold storage
Due to the conditions created by the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for the last 16 months for the industries and big and small industries working in Himachal Pradesh, the industries are continuously leaving from here. Former Industries Minister and Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency in-charge Bikram Thakur said in a press conference held in Shimla that in the last five years, there was Jairam Thakur’s government and during that government, all the big schemes which we had come up with after meeting the Central Government, all those have been implemented today. The plans have been put on hold. He accused the Sukhu government that the industrial policy of the present government is not right due to which there has been migration of industries from Himachal.
He said that this government has done the work of strangulating the ambitious Chief Minister Swabalamban scheme of the former BJP government. Due to this scheme, a lot of work was done during the time of the previous government. Through this, the youth could get projects done up to Rs 1 crore. About 4228 units were newly installed and a subsidy worth Rs 200 crore was released, but today the situation is that this government has abolished the Mukhyamantri Swabalamban Yojana and the liability of Rs 200 crore is pending. In which about 150 cases of Una are pending. A subsidy worth Rs 8 crore is stuck in the hands of young children. Similarly, 320 cases are pending in Kangra. He said that this was a scheme due to which every person and youth could stand on their own feet and the sad thing is that due to the failures and incompetence of the government, these schemes have been closed.
The former Industries Minister said that due to the kind of schemes and programs given by the present state government for the industries, the industry has gone on the back foot. He said that during the Jairam government, Himachal got big projects, in the biggest project, Bulk Drug Park worth Rs 1923 crore was approved for Himachal Pradesh in 2022. During the time of Jairam Thakur’s government, Rs 225 crore was also released for the Bulk Drug Park. At that time, 1405 acres of land was earmarked for it, but even after 16 months, no financial investor has been finalized. He said that the situation in the state today is that an anti-development and visionless government is running in Himachal. As a result the government is indifferent towards these big projects. For this, the government does not have any clear cut map as to how this project should be completed.
In February 2021, the second largest project, a medical device park worth Rs 350 crore, was set up, out of which Rs 100 crore was to be received from the Government of India, Rs 250 crore of shares and land and other expenses were to be paid by the Himachal Pradesh government, about Rs 30 crore. The Center gave for this project and Rs 70 crore was to be received from the Center once the work started. But even after 16 months, no work was done. The contractors who worked there are not being paid. Those contractors have given legal notice to the government. So, it is a matter of great sadness that two big projects are happening in Himachal Pradesh, due to which the youth of Himachal Pradesh are not on their feet. The industrial growth that was going on in Himachal Pradesh in the last five years has been completely stopped by this government.
He said that if this project had been set up in Himachal Pradesh, thousands of youth would have got employment, but from the perspective of the state government, it seems that in the future we may not have to hear that bulk drug parks should be moved from Himachal Pradesh, which would Himachal Pradesh will suffer a huge loss. The Himachal Pradesh government has stopped the relief of electrical duty. There were new industries and expansion units, for those also it was closed. Electricity rates are higher than in other states. Himachal Pradesh is getting the most expensive electricity today and the electrical duty is the highest in the country along with it, the state used to give 99 99-year leases to the industries that come in Himachal, but this government has increased the lease of those setting up the industries. Reduced from 99 years to 40 years. Today the situation is that 118 files are lying under lock and key. Who has the keys? How and what system do industrialists have to go through to remove them? This is also a matter of great sorrow. If a case came in the name of a single window, all the NOCs would be cleared, but today industrialists have to go from place to place to get NOC. Due to this industries have started leaving Himachal Pradesh. Today these industries, including the major ones Hindustan Unilever, Sarvottam Remedies, Micro Limited, and Organic Class Former Private Limited, have closed down. Similarly, big multinational companies including Call Greenland Industries, Bar Flax, and Grace Fates Industries have reduced their bids for work in Himachal Pradesh and have started layoffs.
He accused the government that in the last 16 months, mafia rule has flourished in Himachal Pradesh, especially in Baddi and Nalagarh. The big leaders of Himachal Pradesh have intimidated and threatened the industries only in the name of scrap, due to which the industries in Himachal Pradesh are in dire straits and the good environment which was enjoyed here in the last five years is gone. In contrast to the atmosphere of fear, mafia rule, and hooliganism, murders are taking place there every fourth day over scrap. Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s government is responsible for all these issues and due to the environment created in Himachal Pradesh today within the industrial sector, the youth and the unemployed are unhappy and the Congress Party will bear the brunt of all these things in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Will have to suffer.
