CM Manohar Lal Khattar postpones 3-nation tour

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has decided to postpone his three-nation tour till the end of this year.

Sources said Khattar had asked the Industries Department to postpone the trip scheduled for the first week of September owing to the announcement of relaunch of the Jat agitation and the coming golden jubilee celebrations of the state.

Khattar was to lead the delegation comprising Industries Minister Vipul Goel, industrialists, and officers of the Industries Department to Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.

Sources said the Chief Minister had asked the Industries Department to do its homework on attracting investment.

“The idea is to get some investment back to Haryana after our tour. We will use the next couple of months to do our homework and identify the interested business houses. This will enable us to crystallise some of the deals,” an officer said.

Khattar, who assumed power in October 2014, went for his first trip abroad to the US and Canada in August last year. Later, he undertook a week-long trip to China and Japan.

Earlier this year, the state organised “Happening Haryana”, its first business global business summit, to build upon the investors’ interests.

While a number of Japanese and Korean companies have invested in Haryana, the trip to Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea is being planned to bring in foreign direct investment.