Himachal Govt to hold 2nd groundbreaking ceremony on Dec 27

Shimla, November 12

The Himachal Government will hold another groundbreaking ceremony for projects worth Rs 15,000 crore on December 27, on the fourth anniversary of the BJP government.

The pace of industrial development has slowed down due to Covid and there has been delay in proposed investments after the Global Investors’ Meet at Dharamshala in November 2019. In fact, an investors’ meet will also be held in Delhi on December 5, to give impetus to industrial investment. The venue for the second groundbreaking ceremony is likely to be Dharamsala in view of better aerial connectivity there.

The state government is now aiming at getting the derailed economy back on track by wooing investors. This in turn will help in generating employment avenues as soaring unemployment among educated youths is a major problem, which can also become an issue in the next Assembly elections. A groundbreaking ceremony for projects worth Rs 13,000 crore was held on December 27, 2019, which was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

As a precursor to the ceremony, the Industries Department has announced a customised special package of incentives for projects by introducing an amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Investment Policy 2019. These customised incentives will be for investments ranging between Rs 150 crore and Rs 500 crore. One important condition laid down for availing of incentives is to employ 80 per cent employees from Himachal or they should be bona fide Himachalis.

A Cabinet sub-committee headed by the Chief Minister will sanction the customised package. The other members of the committee are the ministers for industry and power, Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary (Industry). A high-powered committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Industry) will undertake screening, prior to selection by the Cabinet sub-committee. The other members of the committee are the Secretaries of power, finance, excise and taxation and the Director Industries as its Member Secretary.

The government wanted to hold the second groundbreaking ceremony in September-October, but due to the surge in Covid cases, it was deferred. Since the Assembly elections are due next year, the government is keen to woo investors with incentives and packages.