Himachal to create land banks

Himachal Pradesh Government would be considering creation of land banks in public-private participation for industrial expansion and development of the same with quality industrial infrastructure in the districts of Solan, Kanga and Una. This was revealed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, in the 31st meeting of the State Level Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority held here under his Chairmanship today to provisionally approve the setting up of 10 new industrial proposals of medium and large scale industrial projects involving an investment of Rs. 535.43 crore and generating employment to about 3,762 persons, which included Coslight India Telecom Private Limited investing Rs. 367 crore and generating employment to 2,050 persons, besides many other multinational companies at different industrial areas in the state.

Chief Minister said that there had been pressing demand for making available industrial land to the prospective entrepreneurs at reasonable market rates and the proposal was a step towards achieving the objective. He said that there had also been complaints of exploitation of the entrepreneurs at the hands of property dealers and people involved in sale and purchase of the land in the industrial areas. He said that the state government would be associating the private land owners in the identified industrial areas of the Solan, Kanga and Una districts to create land banks so that after consolidation of the land, planned development of the industrial areas could be carried. He said that it would also be beneficial in creation of quality industrial township infrastructure. He said that the state government would take every related aspect into consideration to protect the interests of the people of the area and carry the process after taking the local land owners into confidence.

Prof. Dhumal said that state government would be extending all possible help for the development of a cluster of about 300 foot industrial units for setting up, preferably in district Sirmour, which was bound to generate employment to about 16,500 persons initially with a vast investment estimated at Rs. 10,620 crore and produce quality foot wear to meet the demand of the area. He said that the Small Scale Industrial Development Corporation would be identifying the suitable land for the purpose. He said that besides industrial expansion the state government was also according priority to the cottage industry to generate self-employment avenues to the rural artisans.

Chief Minister said that the state government would be considering authorizing the concerned executive engineers of state electricity board to issue power availability certificate to the prospective entrepreneur with a view to simply the procedure and save the time of the applicants from visiting state headquarters time and again. He said that the state government was discouraging high power consuming, low employment generating and polluting industrial units with a view to optimally utilize the land, power, water and other industrial infrastructure available for industrial expansion.

Prof. Dhumal emphasized the need to attract more investment by multinational companies while encouraging small and medium units by diverting them to the less utilized industrial areas in Kanga and Una districts. He said that entrepreneurs who had yet to start the setting up process of their units needed to be requested to intimate the state government accordingly so that in case some of them opt to withdraw their proposal the same facilities could be made available to the new applicants. He said that it was the generosity of the former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee who had provided the state Special Industrial Package with a view to give boost to industrial expansion, which needed to be utilized to the optimum. He also directed the authorities to process all the industrial proposals to help the entrepreneurs set up their units on priority.

Shri Ravi Dhingra, Chief Secretary, said that all precautions were being taken to ensure that planned industrialization was carried uniformly in the state. He said that preference was being given to environment friendly and employment generating proposals.

Shri Subhash Negi, Principal Secretary Industries, welcomed the Chief Minister, and updated him about the industrial achievements made after the announcement of the package.

Shri Anil Khachi, Director of Industries, carried the proceedings of the meeting.

Smt. Parminder Mathur, Shri J.P. Negi, Additional Chief Secretaries, Ms. Harinder Hira, Principal Secretary, Environment and Scientific Technologies, Shri Bhim Sen, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Shri Ajay Mittal, Principal Secretary MPP & Power and Chairman, HPSEB, Shri Arvind Mehta, Secretary Finance, Shri R.D. Dhiman, Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, Shri Rakesh Kaushal, Secretary Revenue, Dr. Nagin Nanda, Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board, Shri Rajender Chauhan, Industrial Advisor and other senior officers were present in the meeting.