Ahead of investors’ meet, govt to ink pacts for Rs 2,500-cr projects

Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, February 20

The state government will sign MoUs for projects worth Rs 2,500 crore in the tourism, real estate, health and industry sector on February 25 so that all clearances can be granted before the global investors’ meet will be held in June, later this year.

The MoUs will be signed between the investors and the respective Principal Secretaries in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here. Some of these projects are an outcome of the Investors’ Meet held in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The BJP regime is planning to hold a global investors’ meet at Dharamsala after the Lok Sabha elections. Various departments like Industry, power, tourism, agriculture, health and ayurveda have prepared projects to rope in investment worth Rs 85,000 crore.

The idea behind signing the MoUs before the meet is to ensure that all clearances pertaining to land transfer, essentiality certificate, nod from the state Pollution Control Board and electricity board are complete well in time before June. “This will help send a positive signal that there are no cumbersome procedures to set up industrial units, power projects or health resorts in Himachal and the hill state has an investor-friendly atmosphere,” said an official.

As per the proposal prepared by the Industries Department, a target of attracting Rs 20,000 crore each in the power and infrastructure and logistics sector, Rs 15,000 crore in the manufacturing sector, Rs 10,000 crore in the tourism and hospitality sector and Rs 5,000 crore each in healthcare and fitness, agri-business sector and information technology, electronics and skill development has been planned.

It is for the first time that Himachal will try to attract foreign investment by holding investors meet overseas. Besides, inviting investors to the meet in Dharamsala, a high-level team led by the Chief Minister or Industries Minister could travel to these places, both in India and abroad. In India, investors meet will be held at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Hyderabad.

All the departments are working overtime to prepare projects to be offered to the investors. Deputy Commissioners have been asked to identify land which can be offered for various tourism, industrial and agriculture-horticulture projects. The Ayurveda Department has prepared projects for the setting up of wellness centres, aroma parks and medicity at various locations all over the state.

The previous Virbhadra regime had also held investors meet at various places, but finally there was very little investment and a majority of investors, who attended the meet, did not make the investment in the state.

To be held after LS elections

The BJP regime is planning to hold a Global Investors’ Meet at Dharamsala after the Lok Sabha elections. Various departments like Industry, power, tourism, agriculture, health and ayurveda have prepared projects to rope in investment worth Rs 85,000 crore.