4 new industrial areas of 1,100 bighas designated in Solan, Una districts

Tribune News Service

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, April 20

To give a boost to investment, the government has notified four industrial areas, spread over about 1,100 bighas in the state.

The four new industrial areas falling in Solan and Una districts will provide the much-needed land for mega investment by industrial houses. The notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Industry) RD Dhiman here yesterday also declares additional land for the already existing three industrial areas.

With the land bank of around 35,000 acres getting almost exhausted, the Himachal Pradesh Industries Department was in need for more land to offer to investors, with some mega projects being in the pipeline. This is subsequent to the demand by the industry for some big projects following the Global Investors’ Meet in Dharamsala in November 2019. The pace of industrial development has slowed down due to the Covid breakout, but now industrialists are keen to invest in Himachal.

The notification for designating over 1,100 bighas as industrial areas has been issued as per the recommendation of the Standing Committee. “The designation of more land as industrial areas will help give a fillip to industrial development in the state and bring in investment and generate employment avenues,” said Dhiman.

The four new industrial estates are Manjholi in Nalagarh tehsil of Solan district having 436.06 bighas, Malku Majra of Baddi in Solan having 373.19 bighas, Khadeen in Kasauli tehsil of Solan district having 186 bighas, and Thathal at Amb in Una district with 7.38 hectares.

As 1,500 acres have already been allocated for a bulk drug park in Una, 800 acres for a defence park and 250 acres for a medical devices park at Nalagarh, the department is left with very little land to offer for new projects.

The notification also includes additional 21.02 hectares at Kulara in Indora of Kangra district in the already designated industrial area of Kandrori (Phase II), additional 12.50 hectares identified in the Jeetpur Bheri area of Una district and additional 12.02 bighas included in the Pandoh industrial area of Mandi Sadar.

The government needs to expedite the pace of industrialisation to create sufficient jobs, as there are around 10 lakh unemployed youth in the state.

As such, almost 90 per cent of the industry in Himachal is confined to the fringes, primarily in the border districts of Solan, Una and Sirmaur.

Will boost investment

The designation of more land as industrial areas will help give a fillip to industrial development in the state and bring in investment and generate employment avenues. RD Dhiman, additional chief secretary (industry)

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